Several federal announcements have come out since late October, and a few of them affect how affordable and rural housing gets built, financed, and measured. Here is a quick look at what matters for members across Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, with links to the full notices.
FHA Launches LIHTC Express Lane for 221(d)(4) New Construction Loans
On November 2, HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing announced a mortgagee letter that introduces a "streamlined underwriting review and closing process" for qualifying LIHTC transactions. It is effective immediately, and eligibility requires a development team managed and controlled by an experienced LIHTC developer/owner.
HUD Launches a Public Dashboard for Housing Authority Performance
On October 30, HUD released its PHA Accountability Dashboard, which HUD says gives the public "direct access to PHAs' performance and funding data." You can search by housing authority, state, or nationwide. If you partner with a housing authority or work with vouchers, it is worth a look.
USDA Rural Housing Service Publishes a Final Rule for Single-Family Rural Housing
The Rural Housing Service has published a final rule intended to increase single-family affordable housing opportunities in rural communities.
USDA B&I Program Pauses New Submissions After November 20
On October 28, USDA Rural Development announced that its OneRD platform "will not accept new applications or servicing requests" for the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan program after 5 p.m. ET on Friday, November 20. A new lender portal goes live in January 2027. This program supports lender financing for rural businesses, so it applies mainly to lenders and rural economic development partners.
For more news from the national organization, visit the CARH newsroom: https://www.carh.org/newsroom/
Sources: CARH, HUD, USDA Rural Development.