Northwest HUD Lines
August 2020

HUD e-Briefs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington
Jeff McMorris, Region X Regional Administrator

Leland Jones, Editor, (206) 220-5356 or Leland.jones@hud.gov

www.hud.gov/alaska	www.hud.gov/idaho
www.hud.gov/oregon	www.hud.gov/washington
http://twitter.com/hudnorthwest

e-OPEN FOR BUSINESS (STILL)
HUD offices in Anchorage, Boise, Portland & Seattle are open for business. But as of May 1st due to limited on-site staffing during the coronavirus outbreak, and consistent with local public health social distancing guidelines, the best way to get in touch with us is via e-mail at AK_Webmanager@hud.gov in Alaska, ID_Webmanager@hud.gov in Idaho, OR_Webmanager@hud.gov in Oregon or WA_Webmanager@hud.gov in Washington, or call us at 206-220-5101. And, of course, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook or at four state Web sites. You'll find their addresses in the masthead above. We look forward to hearing from you.

CONFIRMED
HUD Secretary Carson applauded the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Dana Wade as Assistant Secretary for Housing & Federal Housing Administration Commissioner. "She has been a tremendous asset to HUD & the Administration throughout her years of service.", She succeeds Brian Montgomery who is now HUD's Deputy Secretary. He welcomed "her back to FHA, where I know she will do an outstanding job serving the American people. We are grateful to have her considerable talents and knowledge to help guide the agency as our nation pulls through this pandemic."

QUOTE TO NOTE
"After reviewing thousands of comments on the proposed changes to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) regulation, we found it to be unworkable and ultimately a waste of time for localities to comply with, too often resulting in funds being steered away from communities that need them most," said Secretary Carson. "Instead, the Trump Administration has established programs like Opportunity Zones that are driving billions of dollars of capital into underserved communities where affordable housing exists, but opportunity does not. Programs like this shift the burden away from communities so they are not forced to comply with complicated regulations that require hundreds of pages of reporting and instead allow communities to focus more of their time working with Opportunity Zone partners to revitalize their communities so upward mobility, improved housing, and home ownership is within reach for more people. Washington has no business dictating what is best to meet your local community's unique needs" - HUD Secretary Carson, July 23, 2020.

PROTECTING TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
There are some 570 Federally recognized Tribes & Native Villages in the United States. Half make their homes in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. COVID-19 hasn't spared any community, but Native American communities are the hardest-hit and most vulnerable. Under the CARES Act passed by the Congress and signed Ito law by President Trump, $100 million were allocated to HUD's Indian Community Development Block Grant program. Like its counterpart the Community Development Block Grant which provides funding to states, counties and cities CDBG is extremely popular among Tribes, first and foremost because of its flexibility that allows Tribal communities to decide where and how the funds will be used within statutory guidelines. Below you'll find a list of Tribes and Villages in our Region that, during July, won some $21.5 million ICDBG CARES Act funds all of which will be used to support projects that respond to and protect communities from COVID-19. The funds, said HUD Secretary Carson, "help families throughout Indian Country to access essential resources amid the coronavirus outbreak." Congratulations to all of Tribal organizations that have competed for & won the funds.
 

BRIEF BRIEFS
Oregon Housing & Community Services announces the award of more than $75 million in LIFT- Local Innovation & Fast Track - funds to build 1,262 new affordable homeownership & rental units at 19 projects in 14 communities statewide a. . .Washington Department of Commerce's Office of Homeless Youth awards $1.4 million to 10 transitional housing & ancillary therapeutic programs serving homeless young people in King, Pierce, Thurston, Walla Walla, Clallam, Whatcom, Spokane & Kitsap counties. . .Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks, Women in Safe Houses in Ketchikan, Valley Residential Services & Chief Seattle Club in Seattle among 9 organizations receiving Rasmuson Foundation funding affirming its board's view that in "these times, it is more important than ever to support organizations providing core services". . .Federal Court in Spokane, Washington approves a consent decree fining a Pullman landlord for violating the Fair Housing Act by threatening a tenant with a disability who had an assistance animal. The case was investigated by HUD Seattle, brought by U.S. Attorney for Eastern District & tenant was represented by Northwest Fair Housing. . .Washington Governor Jay Inslee extends moratorium on evictions & foreclosures until October 15th while the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation extends its moratorium on foreclosures until the end of August says KTVA-TV. . .With wildfire season upon us, the City of Ashland, Oregon uses grant from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to buy 500 air purifiers to give to city residents for free says Daily Tidings. . .Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announces awards of $5.9 million to Alaska & $10.9 million to Idaho help small businesses hurt by pandemic re-capitalize. . .Salem, Oregon Housing Authority says it expects an August opening for HUD-assisted Redwood Crossing, 37-unit complex w/ SRO & respite care units & on-site, wraparound services for homeless "people who have difficulty getting or staying healthy" says Salem Reporter. .City Council of Sitka, Alaska unanimously approves ordinance banning discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in housing or public businesses joining the cities of. Sitka, Juneau & Anchorage which already had done so says KTOO.

CONGRATS. . .
. . . to NAYA - the Native American Youth & Family Center of Portland, Oregon upon its designation as the Nation's 49th HUD-designated EnVision Center, an on-site, one-stop-servicing approach for Federal, state & local agencies to address the needs of Tribal members & Tribal communities across the region. For 45 years NAYA has been an innovator. As the first EnVision Center in Oregon, the 97th in the United States and the third Center principally serving Native Americans & the third in the U.S. to focus on Native families, it continues & builds on that outstanding record of service. READ MORE.

HIGH & DRY
"So far, we've been lucky," Helen Jackson recently told KNOM-FM. Darn right they have. She and her husband live in Shaktoolik, Alaska, a village of 250 predominantly Inuit residents 415 miles Northwest of Anchorage. It sits on a narrow sand-and-gravel spit between a river & the Bering Sea. Because of the frequent & full storms that come in from the sea, a government watchdog says it's one of five villages that need relocate now. Folks in Shaktoolik are staying put. Read what they're doing with a HUD Indian Community Development Block Grant funded by the CARES Act to, hopefully, keep them safe.

GETTING IT DONE
Dinah Lamb of Portland, Oregon knows a bit about what it means to be in the right place at the right time. In her case, it was riding a bus. At the time, she and her daughter were living in a motel. A second child was on the way. She didn't think a motel was a great place to raise kids, But she couldn't afford anything else. Then she got lucky, happening to read a notice that Home Forward, the city's housing authority, was taking applications for rental assistance from HUD. READ HER FULL STORY.

TAKING CARE WOTJ THE CARES ACT
Headquartered in Nome in western Alaska,, the the Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority (BSRHA), serves a culturally diverse population of 9,492 residents including Inupiaq, Central Yupik, and Siberian Yupik Alaska Natives in 17 remote western Alaska communities located across 23,000 square miles, an area about the size of West Virginia. A tribally-designated housing entity BSRHA's mission is to provide housing opportunities, employment, training and educational opportunities. nd these days, of course, to help those communities prepare for and respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19.Administering almost $2 million in HUD Indian Housing Block Grant funds appropriated by the recently-passed CARES Act, BSRHA has moved quickly and comprehensively to do precisely that, providing its communities cleaning supplies, masks, and hotel assistance self-quarantine, emergency response equipment, and rental assistance to the 17 Tribal communities it serves. With CARES Act funding from HUD and a number of other Federal agencies, BSRHA has launched a "best practice" by hiring a full-time staff member responsible for assisting the communities to maximizing and prioritizing use of CARES Act funding to meet their most pressing needs and matching them to funding streams best suited to address those needs. "The challenges posed by COVID-19 seem almost endless and the resources to address them are limited," said BSRHA President and CEO Jolene Miksuaq Lyon. "We want to make sure we stretch those resources as productive, effectively and efficiently as possible."

BRIEF BRIEFS TOO
U.S. Treasury reports says Small Business Administration's Payroll Protection Program created by CARS Act provided 11,169 forgivable loans to small business & non-profits totaling $1.4 billion in Alaska, 30,167 loans totaling $2.6 billion in Idaho, 62,769 loans totaling almost $9 billion in Oregon & 101,049.loans totaling $12.3 billion enabling states to retain 1.9 million jobs during pandemic. .Oregon Legislature passes & Governor Brown signed HB4213 extending state's eviction moratorium until September 30th & Governor Inslee extendsWashington's moratoriumuntil October 15th. . .City of Spokane, Washington Council sets aside $500,000 in HUD funds to provide rental assistance to people who've lost income due to COVID-119 & tapped Workforce Development Council to administer program says Spokesman Review. . .Homes for Good tells KLCC-FM mixed-use Market District Commons with 50 units of affordable housing in downtown Eugene, Oregon should be ready for occupancy come October. . .To protect its residents from community spread COVID-19 infection, City of Bethel, Alaska using CARES Act funds to offer travelers from Anchorage free overnight hotel quarantine to await safely for connecting flights to home villages says Alaska Public Media. .Columbia Care breaks ground for 16-unit permanent supportive housing complex in Medford, Oregpn for veterans & their families who are at-risk of homelessness says at KDRV-TV. . .U.S. Department of Commerce makes $1.8 million available to invest in Spokane, Washington state Opportunity Zones. . .City of Portland Oregon unveils how it proposes its CARES Act funding. with large chunks going to rent & mortgage assistance, small business relief, homeless assistance & food stability says Oregonian. . .Washington Department of Commerce says award $20m more in CARES Act funds to WA's 29 recognized Tribes "to respond to the health & economic impacts of the virus" & help "families, businesses & organizations that need the resources & support the state's recovery". . .Alaska Community Foundation & United Way says the AKCan Foundation they formed has awarded a second round of some $1.5 million to help non-profits address pandemic-related issues. . Saint Alphonsus Health System &LEAP Housing Solutions launch partnership to develop Caritas Commons,14 new homes "made from upcycled steel cargo container." that also will be Boise, Idaho's first housing land trust says KIVI-TV. . .Washington Governor Jay Inslee says state will use $100 million in CARES Act funding to provide rental assistance to Saint Alphonsus Health System and LEAP Housing Solutions. those hard-hit by COVID-19 says TheChronicle.

JUST IN
Public & Indian Housing has posted a notice - PIH 2020-18 - describing how it intends to allocate $850 million in CARES Act for administrative costs incurred by housing authorities' Housing Choice Voucher programs in response to COVID-19. You'll find the notice at https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/OCHCO/documents/2020-18pihn.pdf.

NOFA-TUNITY
HUD sets August 2rth deadline for state, local, Tribal & school district governments for up to 70 Lead Hazard Reduction grants totaling $275 million. Please see COMING UP below for two HUD Webinars on August 5th & 6th about this NOFA.

NOFA-TWO-NITY
HUD sets September 15th deadline for eligible housing authorities to submit Letter of Interest in applying for additional HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers. HUD expects to award $50 million to fund some 6,000 new VASH vouchers.

NOFA-THREE-NITY
HUD has set an August 24th deadline for Tribal governs & Tribally. Designated Housing Entities to apply for up to 12 Healthy Homes Tribal Production Grants of no more than $1million each. Please see COMING UP below for two Webinars on August 6th & August 20th about this NOFA.

NOFA-FOUR-NITY
HUD sets September 14th deadline to apply for up to 10 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants of up to $450,000.

NOFA-FFIVE-NITY
HUD sets August 5th deadline to apply for CARES Act funds for COVID-19 supplemental payments for Section 202 & Section 811 properties receiving Section 8 project-based rental assistance.

NO-SIX-TUNITY
HUD sets August 24th deadline for Federally recognized Tribes & Tribally. designated housing entities to apply for u p to 12 Healthy Homes Production grants of up to $1 million each.

NO-SEVE-TUNITY
HUD sets August 20th deadline for some 700 public housing authorities currently operating a Family Self Sufficiency Program to submit applications to renew their HUD funding.

NOFA-EIGHT-INTY
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation sets August 7th deadline for local governments & non-profits(outside Municipality of Anchorage) to apply for total of just over $5 million in HUD Emergency Solutions Grants for CARES Act to protect homeless from COVID-19.

NOFA-NINE-ITY
National Endowment for the Arts sets August 6th deadline to apply for Our Town grants up to $150k fg "creative placemaking" projects to ' integrate arts, culture, & design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical" or "social outcomes."

ONE-MORE-TUNITY
WashingtonPublic Works Board sets September 9th deadline for counties, cities, Tribes & others to apply for $9.1 million in low-interest loans & $8.6 million in grants for broadband infrastructure construction projects.

BRIEF BRIEFS THREE
HUD Secretary Carson announces launch of .Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration to empower people by giving them a real choice in where they live. . .City of Spokane, Washington launches on-line survey asking its resident how they believe CARES Act funding should be used says Spokesman Review. .U.S. Treasury awards National Community Fund, a community financial development institution headquartered in Portland, Oregon New Markets Tax Credits. . .LEAP ROC, a subsidiary of LEAP Housing Solutions assists residents of two affordable mobile home parks with 56 units in Garden City, one of the fastest-gentrifying areas in Boise metro area says. . .Blue Mountain Community Foundation making $380,000k available to support non-profits- especially those addressing food, housing & health-in Columbia, Garfield, Walla Walla counties in Washington & Umatilla County, Oregon says Union Bulletin. . .Noting it's "increasingly challenging" to find sites near light rail in Seattle to build 200+ unit affordable housing, Mt. Baker Housing gets lucky & buys 1.25 acre site in Rainier Beach area for 236 unit says Connect Seattle. . .SBA reports it provided $3.5 billion Alaska $2.57 billion Idaho. . .Chief Seattle Club in Seattle, Washington & Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks Alaska, Women in Safe Houses in Ketchikan, Swell LLC & Valley Residential Services in Wasilla awarded almost $1.2 million by Rasmuson Fooundationto support affordable & workforce housing projects. . .Washington State Public Works sets 9/9 deadline for counties, cities, Tribes & others to apply for $9.1 million in low-interest loans & $8.6 million in grants for broadband infrastructure construction project. . .City of Pendleton, Oregon Councilvotes unanimously to jumpstart stalled Pendleton Heights project by selling parcel to Newberg OR to build 80 units of affordable housing next to 22 completed townhomes says EastOregonian. . .Polk & Marion counties in Oregon launching their own two-county HUD Continuum of Care to generate more HUD dollars to to support programs serving the homeless says Itemizer-Observer. . .Now that IdahoHousing Housing & Finance Association's subsidiary the Housing Company has restored former Bonneville Hotel, it's about to begin building the 72-unit The Teton Mesa Apartments also in Idaho Falls with 90 percent of the units slated to be affordable says Post Register. . .RurALCAP celebrates opening of shelter for victims of domestic violence in Hooper Bay, Alaska.

GOT VIEWS?
FHA - the Federal Housing Administration - sets September 14th deadline to submit feedback from FHA single-family stakeholders on proposed "overhaul focuses on expediting homeowner assistance & achieving operational efficiencies that reduce the cost of servicing.

MOREVIEWS?
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services sets October 2nd deadline for public input to be submitted on developing an interagency Council on Economic Mobility to "promote economic mobility, recovery & resiliency."

STILL MORE VIEWS?
HUD has set a September 22nd deadline for public comment on its proposed modification of the its Equal Access Rule that would pholds Department's commitment to fair treatment of all individuals while allowing shelter providers to establish an admissions policy that best serves their unique communities.

QUOTEWORTHY
"This important update will empower shelter providers to set policies that align with their missions, like safeguarding victims of domestic violence or human trafficking, mission-focused shelter operators play a vital and compassionate role in communities across America. The Federal Government should empower them, not mandate a single approach that overrides local law and concerns. HUD also wants to encourage their participation in HUD programs. That's exactly what we are doing with this rule change." -HUD Secretary Carson on the Department's proposal to modify the Equal Access Rule, July 1, 2020.

QUOTABLE & NOTABLE
"Keep our neighborhoods people-scaled and people-friendly, knowing that strong neighborhoods need housing at every price point."- Boise, Idaho Mayor Lauren McLean in a statement on her "strategic priorities" in her first term, goals - including A Safe Home for Everyone - issued on July 28th.

FACT-SINATING
For two weeks in June eligible Alaskans households that had lost their jobs or experience losses in income as a result of the pandemic could apply for up to $1,200 in mortgage or rental payment relief from a $10 million fund created by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation at the direction of Governor Mike Dunleavy. Neither the Governor nor the Corporation knew how many families would apply. In the end, they reported, ""8,025 were submitted. Each household represents an average of 2.74 members totaling 21,951 individuals applying for relief. Based on applicants' self-reporting their average annual income loss is $21,880, with an average monthly housing payment of principal and interest of $1,417 for homeowners or $1,110 for renters." No eligible household Wass turned away.

JUST PUBLISHED
FHA issues Mortgagee Letter 2020-22 offering additional options for loss ,mitigation processes required to be offered by lenders to FHA insured borrowers who are delinquent and have been directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19 pandemic. . .HUD publishes Eviction Prevention & Stability Toolkit to help housing authorities & Housing Choice Voucher landlords plan for & implement strategies to keep families stably housed & mitigate economic hardship pandemic. . .National Housing Law Project posts its June 23rd Webinar on Housing Rights for Survivors of Domestic Violence with Disabilities.

NOTES TO NOTE
HUD Policy Development & Research sets August 4th deadline to apply for up to 3 grants totaling $500,000 to "identify alternative calculations to generate FMRs that more closely track market conditions in rapidly rising rental markets than current methods". . .HUD sets August 5th deadline to apply for CARES Act funds for COVID-19 supplemental payments for Section 202 & Section 811 properties receiving Section 8 project-based rental assistance. . .President Trump signs legislation extending application deadline for Payroll Protection Program to August 8th. . .National Endowment for the sets sets August 6th deadline to apply for Our Town grants up to $150.000 fg "creative placemaking"s projects to "integrate arts, culture, & design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical & social outcomes". . .Alaska Housing Finance Corporation sets August 7th deadline for local governments & non-profits(outside Municipality of Anchorage) to apply for total of just over $5 million in HUD Emergency Solutions Grants for CARES Act to protect homeless from COVID-19. . .HUD Policy Development & Research also sets August 17th to apply for up to 2 grants totaling $500,000 to analyze the social & economic impacts of HUD's CDBG & HOME programs. . .HUD sets August 18th deadline for non-profit organizations that provide nationwide or statewide programs that primarily serve veterans or low-income individuals to apply for up to 9 grants of no more than $1 million each as part of HUD Veteran Housing Rehabilitation & Modification Pilot. . .HUD sets August 20th deadline for some 700 public housing authorities currently operating a Family Self Sufficiency Program to submit applications to renew their HUD funding. . . HUD sets August 24th deadline for state, local, Tribal & school district governments for up to 70 Lead Hazard Reduction grants totaling $275 million. . .HUD sets August 24th deadline for Federally recognized Tribes & Tribally. designated housing entities to apply for up to 12 Healthy Homes Production grants of up to $1 million each. . .Washington Department of Commerce sets September 1st deadline to apply for up to $10 million in Housing Trust Fund dollars to develop & maintain MODULAR Construction Rental Housing that will serve the "homeless at entry" for at least 50 years. . .WashingtonPublic Works Board sets September 9th deadline for counties, cities, Tribes & others to apply for $9.1 million in low-interest loans & $8.6 million in grants for broadband infrastructure construction project. . .HUD sets September 14th deadline to apply for up to 10 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants of up to $450,000. . .FHA sets September 14th deadline to submit feedback on proposed "overhaul focuses on expediting homeowner assistance & achieving operational efficiencies that reduce the cost of servicing. . .HUD set September 15th deadline for eligible housing authorities to submit Letter of Interest in applying for additional HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers. HUD expects to award $50 million to fund some 6,000 new VASH vouchers. . .U.S. Department of Health & Human Services sets October 2nd deadline for public input to be submitted on developing an interagency Council on Economic Mobility to "promote economic mobility, recovery & resiliency". . .U.S. Department of Labor VETS program sets December 31st, 2020 deadline for state & local workforce development groups, veterans service organizations, public agencies, Tribal governments & non-profits to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to conduct veterans Stand Down events.

COMING UP

HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes hosts Webinar on the $275 million LHUD ead Hazard Reduction NOFA currently open, August 5th, on-line. Visit

Idaho Smart Growth hosts virtual Citizens Planning Academy, August 5th, on-line. Visit

HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes hosts Webinar on the HUD Healthy Homes Tribal Production NOFA currently open, August 6th, on-line. Visit

HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes hosts Webinar on the $275 million HUD Lead Hazard Reduction NOFA currently open, August 6th, on-line. Visit

Association of Alaska Housing Authorities hosts virtual Indian Housing Plan/Annual Performance Review workshop, August 5th & 6th, on-line. Visit

The annual Inland Northwest Fair Housing Conference goes virtual, August 12th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Occupancy Management for RD Managers, August 19th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts vRD Part 2 Webinar, August 20th to 28th. Visit

HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes hosts Webinar on the Healthy Homes Tribal Production NOFA currently open, August 20th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Conquering Income & Rent Limits for LIHTC Blended, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts Conducting Income Certification in COVID Pamdemic Income & Rent Limits for LIHTC Blended Properties, August 27th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts virtual Webinar on Conducting Income Certification During COVID Pandemic, on-liner. Visit

Pacific Northwest Council of NAHRO hols its annual conference virtually, August 31st to September 4th,on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts virtual Webinar on Tracking Lease-Use in LIHTC Properties, September 10th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts virtual Webinar on Elderly Bond , Certification, September 16th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts virtual Webinar on Taking On Management? How Smart Managers Can Transition With Ease, September 24th, on-line. Visit

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association hosts virtual Webinar on Preparing for a HUD OR, September 29th, on-line. Visit

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