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HUD Heartland NewsVolume 10, Issue 3 View the published version of the Newsletter with photos In this Issue:
Calendar of Events: May 30, 2016 June 21-22, 2016 June 29, 2016 July 4, 2016 Fair Housing Enforcement in South Dakota The Denver Regional Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) enforces the federal Fair Housing Act and related civil rights statutes and regulations for Region VIII. Beyond its enforcement activities, FHEO conducts education and outreach activities, monitors grantee compliance, and works with state and local agencies to administer equivalent fair housing programs. The team of 18 covers 6 states which includes South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. FHEO's mission is to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, and development of federal fair housing policies and laws. Persons needing assistance regarding fair housing laws can call FHEO at (800) 877-7353. Since October 2011, FHEO has investigated and closed 50 fair housing complaints in South Dakota. Closure Reason Number of Cases Complainant's failure to cooperate 4 Withdrawn without resolution 3 Withdrawn with resolution 3 Conciliated successfully 24 No case determination 8 Charged by HUD with reasonable cause a violation occurred 7 Fair Housing Charges in South Dakota HUD announced on April 29, 2016 that it has filed charges of fair housing laws against a South Dakota property manager, Carrol Goodsell and his company, Goodsell General Contracting. The Consent Order resolves a claim that Goodsell sexually harassed a female tenant. Under the settlement, the respondents must pay $24,600 to the tenant, utilize a third-party to interact with tenants, attend fair housing training, and adopt and distribute a written policy against sexual harassment to current and future tenants. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Individuals who have been victims of housing discrimination can file a complaint online or call the Denver HUD Office of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity at (800) 877-7353. Your Door to FHA Homeownership Phone toll-free (800) CALLFHA or (800) 225-5342, M-F, 7am-7pm CT Email: answers@hud.gov Search online: /FHAFAQ Comments Wanted On April 20, 2016, FHA posted the draft Title I section of its Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (SF Handbook). The posting is a continuation of FHA's progress toward a consolidated handbook that will make it easier to do business with FHA. The Title I section will replace existing guidance on: Origination, Servicing, Claims and Disposition of Manufactured Home Loans; Origination, Servicing, Claims and Disposition of Property Improvement Loans; Doing Business with FHA for Title I Lenders; and Quality Control, Oversight and Compliance for Title I Loans and Lenders. FHA developed and posted the draft policy documents to ensure a consistent approach. Feedback can be submitted through June 6. FHA Updates Effective March 30, 2016 for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2016-07 provides mortgagees an optional extension to submitting a due and payable request where borrowers are behind on paying property taxes and/or hazard insurance premiums. The ML also provides that mortgagees may review, for permissive loss mitigation, HECM borrowers that were in foreclosure prior to the issuance of ML 2015-11. Mortgagees must use the newly revised HUD 92900-A Addendum to Uniform Residential Loan Application for case numbers assigned on or after August 1, 2016, according to Mortgagee Letter 2016-06. Mortgagee Letter 2016-08 provides guidance on calculating student loan payments. The letter is effective for case numbers assigned on or after June 30, 2016; however, mortgagees may begin using the policy immediately. All revisions will be incorporated into HUD's Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 on June 30, 2016. FHA Connection Enhancements On April 18, 2016, FHA implemented a series of updates to the FHA Connection (FHAC) system. New to the system is the 203(k) calculator that automates the maximum mortgage amount calculations as required for the standard and limited 203(k) programs, as well as additional FHAC screen enhancements. The 203(k) calculator is accessible both in a public version on HUD's website and a secure version on the FHAC. The public version allows anyone to calculate different scenarios before a case number is obtained. The FHAC version requires an assigned case number. Mortgagees may begin using the calculator immediately, but must use it for all case numbers assigned on or after October 31, 2016. In addition to the 203(k) calculator, FHA implemented other changes to the following screens including appraisal logging, insurance application, and escrow closeout. South Dakota Single Family FHA Information FY2016 Statistics Jan Feb Mar Loans Insured 167 196 154 First-Time Homebuyers 103 91 74 Minority Homebuyers 8 14 6
Default Rate 2.83% 2.25% 2.14% Foreclosure Rate 0.31% 0.32% 0.30%
REO Properties Acquired 3 6 12 Sold 18 7 6 Owned 37 36 42 $1.1 Million for Homeless Programs HUD awarded $1.1 million in Continuum of Care grants to members of the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium. The grants provide housing, job training, health care, mental health counseling, and child care. Funding for Homeless programs in South Dakota (2015) Cornerstone Apartments $72,186 Inter-Lakes Community Action $472,039 Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health $137,751 Sioux Falls Housing $356,211 SDHDA HMIS $39,684 SDHDA Planning Grant $48,769 Participants Needed for Focus Group Augustana University, on behalf of Sioux Fall Thrive, is conducting a study of affordable housing needs in Sioux Falls with a targeted focus on the presence and impact of children without homes. Participants who are seeking affordable housing will have the opportunity to share thoughts and experiences about affordable housing in a casual environment with complete confidentiality. Each will receive a $20 gift card to Payless Shoes. Interested persons should email or call (605) 413-1497 to let the research team know which group they will attend. The focus groups will be held at the downtown library on: May 27, 2016 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. June 1, 2016 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. June 2, 2016 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Native American Program Funding Indian Community Development Block Grant funds are available to apply for by tribal governments and organizations by June 14, 2016. HUD expects to competitively award up to 75 grants between $500,000 and $5.5 million each. The funds are intended to help tribes improve housing conditions and stimulate community development, including construction projects and local jobs for low and moderate income families. For more information on the grant funds. $3 Million for Affordable Housing On May 4, 2016, HUD announced nearly $174 millions for the first time ever through the National Housing Trust Fund. As part of the allocation, South Dakota will receive $3 million to help expand the supply of affordable homes and strengthen communities. The Fund is a new affordable housing program to help supplement current federal, state and local funding to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for low and very low-income households and the homeless. Eight years after it was authorized by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the Fund is made possible through contributions by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Community Planning & Development Tools HUD's Community Development Block Grant Program's (CDBG) new Explore, a collection of online technical assistance products, will help grantees with the following: create transformative impact in your community, improve the lives of all residents, especially low and moderate income; develop strategies that bring partners and resources together by leveraging and building community assets; implement the programs effectively, and will increase the likelihood of successful projects. Education Program Available The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) supports instruction and services that help adults gain the knowledge necessary for self-sufficiency; obtain the educational skills necessary to become full partners in the development of their children; complete a secondary school education; and transition to postsecondary education, job training, or employment. The Adult Education program also helps immigrants and other English learners improve their language-comprehension skills and civic engagement. Listing of DLR's partner-providers. National Healthy Homes Month HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (NHHM) is coordinating "National Healthy Homes Month" to be held for the first time during the month of June. The celebration will be an opportunity to learn about housing, its impact on health, and obtain resources to help empower families to protect themselves from hazards in their homes. NHHM will provide a coordinated and holistic approach to creating healthy and safe homes and focus on the following topics: childhood lead poisoning prevention, residential asthma intervention, injury prevention, smoke free public housing, safe indoor pest control, radon safety, and disaster safety. Learn more. Also released is their new National Healthy Homes Month 2016 Toolkit. A new mobile app was unveiled recently to help educate the public about hidden home hazards that can impact the health of families. To find out more, visit HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. Multifamily Housing What's New For the most current information from HUD's Multifamily Housing HUB in Denver. South Dakota HUD Office 4301 W. 57th Street, Suite 101 Sioux Falls, SD 57108 Phone: (605) 330-4223 Fax: (605) 330-4465 Email: SD_Webmanager@hud.gov Website: www.hud.gov/states/south_dakota This is a quarterly publication of the South Dakota HUD office. For active internet links, view the newsletter online at www.hud.gov/states/south_dakota Please contact us if you have any news or updates to include in our newsletter. Sioux Falls Office Staff
2016 Income Limits On March 28, 2016, HUD released the new income limits for 2016. Public housing authorities use income limits to qualify individuals and families for HUD programs. HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low income limits at 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which an individual or family resides. Income limits vary from area to area so an individual or family may be eligible at one housing authority but not at another. Faith-based Final Rule On March 31, 2016, HUD published a Final Rule that provides new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of its programs and activities; and it ensures that faith-based providers will be allowed to compete for federal funding the same as any other private organization. The new rule requires that all decisions about federal financial assistance be based solely on merit, without regard to an organization's religious character, affiliation, or lack thereof. It provides that a beneficiary of a HUD funded program cannot be discriminated against based on religion and cannot be required to attend or participate in any privately funded religious activities that are offered separate from the HUD funded activity. Proposed 2017 Budget HUD's 2017 budget includes $48.9 billion in gross discretionary funding and $11.3 billion in new mandatory spending over 10 years. Of particular significance is support for 4.5 million households through rental assistance; increase in homeless assistance; support for tribal communities and opportunities for Native American youth; and making targeted investments in communities to help revitalize high poverty neighborhoods and improve housing affordability.
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