The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed new regulations to Congress that it says will improve the HOME Investment Partnerships program. HUD said the proposed regulations would require state and local governments to adopt policies and procedures to improve their oversight of HOME-funded projects; require agencies to assess a developer's capacity and a project's long-term viability before committing HOME funds; require more frequent reporting by state and local participating jurisdictions; and establish specific timeframes for taking corrective actions against participating jurisdictions that fail to complete projects they started. HUD also announced that it is in the process of improving its Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS), the primary data collection and reporting mechanism for tracking the commitment and expenditure of HOME funds.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) last month signed a second memorandum of understanding (MOU) with HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) for a pilot program to better coordinate federal rental policy. Michigan also launched a physical inspections alignment pilot program in addition to the subsidy layering requirements review pilot that the agency implemented in September. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Washington are also participating in the physical inspections pilot, which is designed to reduce duplicate physical inspections of local subsidized affordable housing and allow developers and owners to focus on delivering more housing and resources to low-income families. The federal and state agencies have worked together since April to find administrative solutions to align the often burdensome requirements of different federal affordable housing programs.

HUD released findings from two reports that examine how $19.7 billion in disaster recovery grants were used in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to help the region recover from the 2005 hurricanes. According to the summary, titled "Housing Recovery on the Gulf Coast Phase II: Summary Report," Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding played a large role in the rebuilding process. Properties in Mississippi that received CDBG assistance are almost two and a half times as likely to have been rebuilt as properties that did not; in Louisiana, they are nearly twice as likely. CDBG recipients had higher levels of assessed damage, had a higher prevalence of flood damage, were more likely to be part of minority groups, and were more likely to have lower-valued homes. HUD's reports include results from windshield observations and a property owner survey. Download a copy of the summary and reports at www.huduser.org.

Community Preservation and Development Corporation, the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) and Capital One Bank partnered to complete a $33 million green renovation of Stony Brook Apartments in Alexandria, Va., formerly called Buckman Road Apartments. The 204-unit affordable community includes five mid-rise brick buildings, a new community center with a vegetated roof and two playgrounds. The development also features a storm water management system with a bio-retention center, a solar hot water system, a 500-gallon rain barrel, and energy-efficient appliances and lighting. The renovation represents the first green remodel of an affordable garden apartment community in Fairfax County, according to the Fairfax County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. The redevelopment will preserve 40 Section 8 units under a new 20-year HUD contract and provide below-market rate rents through the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program.

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