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The Administration set the fiscal year 2010 federal budget process in motion by submitting an outline of its budget priorities to Congress. The administration provides $47.5 billion in its budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), restoring and increasing funding for many key HUD programs.
Read the Administration’s HUD budget fact sheet.
Read the FY 2010 HUD budget document.
On March 10, Congress completed work on the fiscal year 2009 appropriations process. The Senate gave final approval for the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations package (H.R. 1105) by voice vote. The omnibus bill includes nine FY 2009 appropriations bills, including the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) appropriations bill. See our updated HUD budget chart for comparisons to FY 2008 funding levels.
On March 18 and 19, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a two-part hearing examining livable communities, transit oriented development, and incorporating green building practices into federal housing and transportation policy.
Part one of the hearing led by Subcommittee Chairman John Olver (D-Mass.), focused on testimony from U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. Secretaries Donovan and LaHood announced a new interagency partnership in an attempt to better coordinate the two departments' sustainable community development investments.
In the second day of testimony, the Subcommittee panel heard testimony from Seattle Department of Transportation Director Grace Crunican, Easter Seals Transportation Group Sr. Director Mary Leary, Congress for a New Urbanism President & CEO John Norquist and Brookings Institute Metropolitan Policy Program Senior Fellow Robert Puentes.
On March 5, the House passed the “Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009” (H.R. 1106) by a vote of 234-191. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced the joint housing bill in late February with 22 other original cosponsors.
The legislative package combines provisions from four previously introduced bills (H.R. 200, H.R. 786, H.R. 787, H.R. 788). The measure includes provisions from the Judiciary to allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages on primary residences and language from the Financial Services Committee which provides a loan servicer safe harbor, Hope for Homeowners improvements, FHA changes, and reforms to the FDIC insurance fund.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee for consideration. Read the House Judiciary Committee Summary and other documents.
On Tuesday, March 24, Enterprise staff joined Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and a small group of organizations equally concerned about energy efficiency and green building for a roundtable discussion on changes and updates to the Green Resources for Energy Efficient Neighborhoods (G.R.E.E.N.) Act.
Dana Bourland, vice president of Enterprise Green Initiatives and Dvora Lovinger, Enterprise senior director of government affairs, were invited to the selective roundtable to discuss how the G.R.E.E.N. Act can be improved in light of a new focus on energy efficiency by both President Obama and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. At the meeting they discussed ways to streamline the rating system used in green building as well as what revisions are necessary to ensure the bill will best complement the recently passed stimulus legislation, which includes funding to retrofit affordable housing.
The G.R.E.E.N. Act, which was introduced last year in the 110th Congress by Rep. Perlmutter and modeled after recommendations provided by Enterprise senior leadership, raises the bar for energy and environmental performance in affordable housing. Rep. Perlmutter plans to re-introduce a similar bill this year in the 111th Congress.
Read the press release. Read the G.R.E.E.N Act fact sheet.
In March, the Enterprise public policy staff made several presentations on the federal economic stimulus package formally referred to as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
On March 3, Sr. Director of Government Affairs Dvora Lovinger participated in a panel discussion as part of the National Association Affordable Housing Lenders 2009 Policy & Legislative Summit held in Washington, D.C. Lovinger discussed the energy efficiency investments provided in the economic stimulus legislation for federal housing programs.
On March 10 and 11, Enterprise hosted two Webinars on housing provisions in ARRA. The first session entitled “Overview of Housing Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” was led by Dvora Lovinger and Peter Lawrence, Senior Policy Director. Participants learned how these new resources will help address long-standing affordable housing needs.
The second session entitled, “Changes and Updates to the Neighborhood Stabilization Program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” provided an in-depth analysis of changes and updates made to the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Presenters Dvora Lovinger and Amanda Sheldon, research and policy analyst discussed the new competitive NSP program, changes that will affect both the first and second round of allocations and the remaining challenges of using the NSP program. View the archived Webinars and download the presentations.
On March 12, Sr. Policy Director Peter Lawrence was part of a panel discussion on the economic stimulus package at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s National Conference entitled, “Roadmap to a Financially Inclusive Society.”
On March 16, Lovinger was also part of a panel which provided a national housing policy update for a gathering of Women in Housing and Finance - New York. Lovinger focused on the implications of the energy-efficiency provisions in ARRA for federal housing and energy programs.
Research and Policy Analyst Amanda Roberts made a presentation at the Youth Build National Director’s Association Meeting on March 17. Sheldon gave a brief overview of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and how Youth Build can access NSP funds. Sheldon also previewed the Enterprise Neighborhood Stabilization Analysis Project which slated to be released in April.
Enterprise announced the appointment of Alazne (Ali) Solis as a senior vice president of the organization. Solis was also recently named policy and corporate affairs executive which expanded her focus to include the areas of communications, marketing, online services and resource development in addition to public policy. Read the News Release.
You now can stay connected with Enterprise via social media websites including facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.
Become a fan of Enterprise on facebook or join the Affordable Housing cause.
Follow Enterprise on Twitter @AffordableHome
Connect with Enterprise employees already on Linkedin and explore our company profile. You also can participate in Enterprise’s group discussions and share news with the Affordable Housing group. To join the Enterprise Community Partners group, use the Search Groups option to search for and join the Enterprise Community Partners group.
Subscribe to the Enterprise channel to watch and share videos that tell the story behind the work we do at Enterprise. To subscribe, click on the Channels tab and search for Enterprise Community Partners
Stay tuned for updates on Enterprise’s growing social media presence. In the meantime, please stay connected with us through our social media pages.
NACEDA’s 3rd Annual Capacity Building and Policy Summit:
Creating a Better World, One Community at a Time
March 30-April 1, Washington, D.C.
National Low Income Housing Coalition Annual Housing Policy Conference & Lobby Day
April 19-22, Washington,D.C.
Housing California 2009 Annual Conference
April 27-29, Sacramento
2009 Spring Developers Forum
May 11-12, Los Angeles, Calif.
National CAPACD 10th Annual Convention
Celebrating a Decade of Unity: A Time of Change
June 3-5, 2009, Washington, D.C.
Solutions for Working Families: 2009 Learning Conference on State and Local Housing Policy
June 28-30, Chicago, Ill.
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