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VHC News Clips, volume 2009-50 (June 24, 2010)
Virginia Housing Coalition Honors Affordable Housing Leaders: Bob Sledd Delivers Keynote Address
Press Release, June 24
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Coalition held its annual awards dinner to celebrate the achievements of some of the leaders of Virginia 's affordable housing community at the Omni Richmond Hotel on June 17th.)Fairfax County Board Approves Tysons Corner Plan, DC
The Free Lance Star, June 23
(RECAP: Fairfax County officials have approved a plan to transform the traffic-clogged Tysons Corner area into a walkable, urban environment.)Alexandria Ranks Fifth in Fastest-Growing U.S. Cities
The Washington Examiner, June 23
(RECAP: Alexandria is the fifth-fastest-growing city in the nation, according to U.S. census figures released Tuesday. Alexandria's population grew 3.8 percent from July 1, 2008, to July 1, 2009 -- adding about 5,500 people to the city of 150,000 six miles south of downtown Washington.)Freddie Mac Announces Forbearances for Borrowers with Single Family Homes Affected by Problem Drywall
Financial News USA , June 21
(RECAP: Freddie Mac today announced that servicers may grant forbearances on a case-by-case basis to borrowers with Freddie Mac-owned mortgages secured by single family homes that contain problem drywall.)Houses Passes Revised Small Business Jobs Bill Without 4% LIHTC Provision
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: The House passed H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010, on June 15. Unlike a similar bill passed by the House on March 24 that now appears unlikely to move forward, H.R. 5486 does not include an exchange program for the 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), a provision sought by housing advocates.)HUD Announces Requirements for Compliance with State, Local Laws Prohibiting Source of Income Discrimination
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD issued a news release dated June 11 that emphasizes that the “general section” of the agency's FY10 Notice of Fund Availability for competitive grants will require applicants to comply with state and local laws that protect people from being denied housing based on their source of income, such as a housing voucher.)HUD Stresses Public Accountability in NSP Program
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD sent a follow-up email to recipients of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program on June 14, reminding them of the requirement to post their Quarterly Performance Reports on their websites at the same time a QPR is sent to HUD. The email follows one with a similar message sent in May.)National Housing Trust Fund: Another Week Passes, Still No Bill
NLIHC Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: After another week of “slimming” and trimming H.R. 4213, the Senate leadership still had not garnered the 60 votes needed to pass the bill by week's end. The good news is that the $1.065 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund remained after the second round of cuts, as did the two LIHTC provisions that NLIHC is tracking.)NLIHC Announces PETRA Watch in Memo, on Website
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD's Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance proposal, which the agency presented as part of its FY11 budget request to Congress, represents a major shift in how HUD rental housing would be subsidized and preserved in the future, and as such is of significant interest to all HUD stakeholders. PETRA has become the subject of considerable debate among tenants and housing advocates.)NLIHC 2010 Advocates' Guide Available for Order
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: NLIHC's 2010 Advocates' Guide to Housing and Community Development is now online and available for purchase in book form. The Guide contains updated chapters on 70 housing and housing-related programs and issues, from the National Housing Trust Fund and the Housing Choice Voucher program to the mortgage interest deduction and the Federal Housing Administration.)Out of Reach 2010 Updated and Available for Purchase
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: NLIHC's publication Out of Reach 2010 has been updated to include HUD's official FY10 Area Median Incomes (. The original release of Out of Reach on April 21 included estimated AMIs because HUD had not yet published the FY10 AMIs.)Smart Growth for the Pike: residential, transportation changes highlighted.
Arlington Connection, June 16
(RECAP: Residents along the Columbia Pike corridor are beginning to see the transformation created by years of planning and public-private partnerships. The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing recently hosted a walking tour led by Christopher Zimmerman, vice chairman of the Arlington County Board and a resident of the neighborhood.)Mortgage Scams in VA and How to Avoid Them
Public News Service, June 16
(RECAP: They come by email, telephone and TV, and sometimes right to the front door. They are offers for homeowners to refinance mortgages or get assistance with loan modifications, all for an up-front fee and with "guaranteed results.")Preliminary Rounds Now Over in East Falls Church Development Controversy
Sun Gazette, June 16
(RECAP: Battle lines are drawn for a July showdown over the scope of future development in East Falls Church . Those who think a county government task force's recommendations go too far, and those who think they don't go far enough, sparred June 15 in a preliminary round that will resume July 10, when the County Board formally takes up the task force's proposal.)Chesapeake Axes Plan but Doesn't Save Mobile Park
The Virginian-Pilot, June 16
(RECAP: The City Council on Tuesday unanimously rejected a developer's proposal to build multi-family homes at a South Military Highway mobile home park. But a representative for the developer, KZ Properties Inc., said the Providence Mobile Court will still be sold within four months and redeveloped into condo units, resulting in the displacement of more than 100 mostly low-income families.)New Homeless Facility Receives Tax Credits; SRO Construction Slated to Begin this Fall Charlottesville Tomorrow, June 15
(RECAP: A project to provide housing for the homeless in downtown Charlottesville has moved one step closer to reality. On Friday, officials with Virginia Supportive Housing announced that a proposed 60 unit single room occupancy facility has been awarded low-income housing tax credits by the Virginia Housing Development Authority.)Housing Inventory is Up, but Can You Afford It?
The Daily Press, June 14
(RECAP: Marshá Smith thinks she can afford a home priced at up to $150,000. "If I don't qualify for how much I want, I'll keep pursuing it, maybe getting rid of some debt that I have that will eliminate extra money that I'm spending out," the 36-year-old Hampton resident said.)Caroline Project Draws Support, Skepticism
Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 14
(RECAP: The development, called Carmel Church Station, is among the most ambitious ever proposed in the Richmond area. It would bring more than 8,500 residential units to a swath of now-rural land along Interstate 95 in southern Caroline and potentially double the county's population of roughly 28,000.)Some Mary Street Houses Getting Facelift Thanks to People Incorporated
Bristol Herald Courier, June 12
(RECAP: Several houses along Mary Street are getting a facelift. People Incorporated, an Abingdon-based nonprofit community service agency, has been granted more than $800,000 from the state to rehabilitate half a dozen homes along East and West Mary Street . The agency bought six foreclosed homes in bulk from a bank, and, once renovated, the homes will represent 11 housing units.)City Homeless Facility Awarded Tax Credits
Charlottesville Daily Progress, June 11
(RECAP: Charlottesville 's first studio-style apartment building for the homeless has been awarded hundreds of thousands in low-income housing tax credits that will translate into millions of dollars for the novel project.)Northern Virginia's Crystal City Gets New Life
Housing Watch. June 11
(RECAP: In a county known for attracting young professionals to neighborhoods with its vibrant development on Washington D.C. 's Metro corridors, Arlington , Va. planners are hoping a facelift will help a 40-year-old, mixed-use development known as Crystal City compete with the upstarts.)Homeless Housing Gets Tax Credit Boost
NBC29.com, June 11
(RECAP: The future of housing Charlottesville 's homeless got a major boost Friday from VHDA. )Defining 'Homeowner' Not So Simple
Fox News, June 10
(RECAP: When does a homeowner become a renter without changing residence? When the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says so, suggests a new research report from three economists at the New York Fed. )Mortgage Delinquencies Decline, but What Does It Mean?
HousingWatch.com, June 10
(RECAP: Stricter lending rules have helped curb the number of mortgage delinquencies. Agencies from the FHA to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are reporting a decreasing number of people who are behind on mortgage payments. )Congress to Consider FHA Reform, Mortgage Insurance Hike
N2PQ.com, June 10
(RECAP: The bill, which establishes a handful of new Federal Housing Administration (FHA) regulations and authorities, is already stirring the response of mortgage finance industry players who warn pieces of the reform could harm lenders' business and make homeownership unaffordable to some. )Delegate Scott's Richmond Report
Falls Church News Press, June 9
(RECAP: Reducing homelessness depends on preserving affordable housing. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments reports annually on the extent of homelessness in the region. In my view, one important reason for the decreases, at least in Northern Virginia , was the regional focus on the preservation of existing affordable housing.)Baker: Turn Fannie, Freddie Into Government-Owned Corporations
Foreclosure Nightmare, June 9
(RECAP: Want an easy, simple solution to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Take the mortgage-finance giants, which have been effectively nationalized, and turn them into government-owned corporations. )A Renter's Market
Richmond BizSense, June 8
(RECAP: The vacancy rate for apartment units in Metro Richmond in the first quarter of 2010 was the highest it has been in five years, reports the real estate research firm Reis Inc. )Apartment Rents Climb as Vacancies fall
Virginia Daily Press, June 8
(RECAP: Rents in the region are creeping up and the vacancy rate is falling, according to a new report. About 6.4 percent of Hampton Roads apartments are vacant, according to Real Data. )News Clips Archives
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