Northwest HUD Lines
June 2014

HUD e-Briefs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington
Bill Block, Region X Regional Director (206) 220-5356
Leland Jones, Editor

MEET THE MAYOR

Unless you've been visiting a galaxy far, far away you've surely heard that President Obama has nominated HUD Secretary Donovan as his new Director of the Office of Management & Budget and Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio as HUD's 16th Secretary. Both nominations require Senate confirmation. Secretary Donovan, of course, is already well-known to the readership of Northwest HUD Lines, but we've taken the liberty of excerpting some of the President's comments about him below. Secretary-designate Castro may not be as familiar. He and his twin Joaquin - currently a member of Congress - were born in San Antonio in 1974. He is a graduate of Stanford and Harvard Law. He and his wife Erica Lira Castro, an elementary school teacher, have, - Carina. He was elected to the San Antonio City Council at the age of 26 - the youngest member in its history - and ran for Mayor in 2005. He is now in his third term. Among his most notable accomplishments are the SA2020 community visioning initiative and Café College that helps San Antonio area young people navigate the college admissions process. In remarks at The White House President Obama called his nominee an "all-star" and noted that "as mayor, Julián has been focused on revitalizing one of our most wonderful cities -- planning thousands of housing units downtown, attracting hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. He's built relationships with mayors all across the country. . .This year, my administration named the East Side of San Antonio a Promise Zone -- a place where citizens and the federal government are working together to remake the community, family by family and block by block. And it speaks to the fact that Julián cares deeply about the people he serves and the city that he loves. It's also a reminder that he's never forgotten where he comes from." We look forward to welcoming him to HUD.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

This month FHA - celebrates its 80th birthday. FDR proposed FHA as part of the New Deal to open the door to homeownership to millions of Americans to whom the dream because they couldn't meet the 50 percent down payment and five-year repayment plans that were then industry standard. It worked. Not long ago, some said FHA had outlived its usefulness as a homeownership tool. But then the Great Recession came along, both the subprime and conventional mortgage markets collapses and potential homebuyers and existing homeowners had nowhere to turn to meet their mortgage needs. Except FHA. And, again, FHA worked. Indeed, many say, that FHA's efforts during the Great Recession prevented the complete collapse of the American housing market. Since the 1930's FHA's mission has been to say "yes" to helping American families own a piece of the American And it has. Said "yes" to homeownership 101,844 times in Spokane. 54,664 times in Anchorage. 83,950 times in Boise. 35,217 times in the Tri Cities. 36,392 times in Eugene. 342,551 times in Seattle metro. 246,752 times in Portland metro. 112,612 times in Tacoma. Said "Yes," in fact, more than 1.6 million times in the Northwest, 36 million times nationwide. Now, that's worth celebrating. 

WHAT NEXT?

The five busiest years in FHA's 80-year history were those from 2008 through 2012 - the years, of course, of The Great Recession. Lenders who had been so very active before the Great Recession suddenly stopped or, at least, significantly slowed their lending activity. At-risk homeowners looking to refinance into a safer mortgage and first-time homebuyers ready to purchase a house had very few places to go for a mortgage. Except FHA. Indeed, more than 20 percent of the mortgages FHA has endorsed over the past 80 years were endorsed in just these five years. But now the economic recovery has taken hold, lenders are beginning to lend again and homeowners and buyers have options again. So, what's FHA role now? Pretty simple, says FHA Commissioner Galante. FHA needs to re-focus on its original mission of helping underserved borrowers. How FHA plans to do that is described in its recently-announced Blueprint for Access initiative which focuses on families ready and with the resources to buy a home that have credit scores below 700 and are having difficulty obtaining a mortgage. The Blueprint for Access strategy is a pretty simple one. Housing counseling has been shown to reduce mortgage delinquency and lenders tend to look more favorably at applications from families that have gone through housing counseling, even though their credit rating isn't gold or platinum. So, The Blue Print's HAWK component - Homeowners Armed With Knowledge - creates a series of incentives to encourage potential homebuyers to complete counseling before they submit a mortgage application - first-time buyers who've completed counseling before signing a purchase agreement get 50 basis points knocked-off their upfront mortgage insurance premium with another 10 points off at closing. If they then make 24 straight monthly payments with no 90-day delinquencies, off go another 15 points. All told, it saves almost $10,000 on the average FHA-insured mortgage and, don't forget, increases the likelihood lenders will consider an application from a sub-700 borrower. The Blueprint, Galante says, transforms "the way we do business, make us a better partner, and help reduce risk across the market." For more, visit here.

SLEAZE ALERT

Thanks to Attorney General Lawrence Wasden for advising us of the latest scam in Idaho. Telephone calls have been coming in, he says "telling Idahoans telling them that "officers of the law will take legal action" and sometimes have said "lethal action" if the person fails to pay back taxes from the previous five years. The callers demand payment by credit cards, prepaid debit cards or wire transfers. The phone numbers provided by the alleged agent of the IRS are answered by a person identifying themselves as a special agent." While, he adds, "The IRS has warned citizens concerning these types of scams. However, this is the first time we have heard of a threat of lethal action." When a member of his staff called the number, "the special agent" promptly hung up. Anyone who has questions about owing back taxes to the IRS, he said, should call IRS Taxpayer Assistance at (800) 829-1040.

! ! ! NEWSWORTHY!! !

HUD issues notice on process by which $5 million from 2014 Appropriations Act for will be awarded for tenant-protection vouchers for at-risk households in low-vacancy areas.

! ! ! WORTHY TOO ! ! !

Effective May 23rd, HUD is permitting developers of federally funded construction projects to use an alternative design standard to meet the accessibility requirements under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With a few exceptions, developers may use the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 Standards (2010 Standards) for accessible design as an alternative to the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) when undertaking new construction or alterations to existing structures." For more, visit http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=HUD-2014-0042-0001.

! ! ! WORTH-REE ! ! !

HUD's announced that it expects to hold a workshop in Portland from August 26th to August 28th for Community Housing Development Organizations - CHODOs - to help familiarize them with the ins-and-outs of recent changes to the final rule the HOME Investment Partnership Program. Preregistration is required. Only one person per CHDO will be permitted and, reportedly, assistance is available to CHDO's with limited financial capacity. Information about the Portland workshop - as well as earlier workshops being held in Chicago, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Louisville, Ft. Worth, Denver, Salt Lake, Kansas City, New York, Detroit, Phoenix, Charlotte and Atlanta - is available at https://www.onecpd.info/news/upcoming-chdo-workshops-understanding-the-2013-home-final-rule.

BRIEF BRIEFS

Idaho Housing & Finance Association, Washington Housing Finance Commission, South Sound Outreach Services, Inc. of Tacoma, Native American Youth & Family Center - NAYA - of Portland, Community Connections of Northeast Oregon in LaGrande, Housing Authority of Yamhill County in McMinnville and Neighborhood Economic Development - NEDCO - of Springfield awarded a total of 478,836 in HUD Housing Counseling funds. . .The result of a conversation several years ago between two mothers each with a daughter with disabilities, reports Tri City Herald, Modern Living Services celebrates opening of 14-unit, HUD-funded Kennewick Perry Apartments for adults with disabilities in Kennewick. . .Oregon Housing & Community Services awards almost $2.7 million in General Housing Account funds to support rehab of 96 and new construction of 15 units of affordable housing in seven projects in Portland, LaGrande, McMinnville, Shady Cove Redmond and Mt. Angel. . .Cook Inlet Housing cuts ribbon on addition to community center at Centennial Village in Anchorage. . .Tacoma Rescue Mission tells KING5 that it is giving thought to selling two low-income apartment buildings. . .By a margin of just 147 votes, says Idaho State Journal, Pocatello retains ordinance prohibiting discrimination on basis of sexual orientation or gender identification in housing and employment. . .Genesis Housing Service, a "sister" agency to Catholic Housing Services, secures last piece of funding - low income housing tax credits from Washington State Housing Finance Commission - to go along with funds from Benton County affordable housing fund and USDA to move forward with $10.2 million,51-unit affordable complex for farmworker families in Prosser. . .Arbor

SOME DEAL

Some deals are good deals. Some deals are great deals. And some deals are even unbelievable deals. Like the tax-delinquent, abandoned three-bedroom house at 360 SW Devonwood Avenue in Beaverton that Washington County offered to sell to Proud Ground for just $5,000. It was, of course, a wreck. "Deeply neglected," reads Proud Ground's e-letter. But Proud Ground didn't hesitate and, with help from Community Frameworks and Oregon Housing and Community Services, it moved forward quickly with a top-to-bottom renovation so that, today, it's "not only habitable, it's wonderful." Sell it to the highest bidder and it would probably go for "more than $200,000." But Proud Ground wanted it to make sure it was permanently - as in "forever" - affordable. So, it will own the land and the new owner will only the house. And get it for just $150,000 "Monthly house payments," it estimates, " including taxes + insurance, of just $1,000. "Washington County," explains Adolph "Val" Valfre, Jr., Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Washington County "fully supports efforts to increase the financial stability of our moderate- and low-income families through permanently affordable homeownership." Want proof? Just take a spin by 360 SW Devonwood Avenue in Beaverton. The proof's there for all the world to see.

GREENIFICATION

EPA Northwest Regional Administrator Dennis McLerran has announced the award of $1.55 million to five organizations in Oregon, just under $400,000 to two organizations in Idaho and $600,000 to one organization in Washington state to "jump start" local Brownfields projects that will "revitalize blighted property, create more green jobs and protect public health." Salem, Tigard and Tillamook County will conduct community-wide assessments. Linn County and the Nez Perce Tribe will use their funds for site-specific assessments of former saw mill sites while Sherwood will do the same at a site once used to produce lead batteries. Maybe most noteworthy in this year's awards, however, is the $600,000 going to the Tacoma Housing Authority and the $200,000 to the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Housing Authority, each of which will clean-up housing units contaminated by production or use of methamphetamine.

A ROAD HOME?

The Kelso City Council, reports The Daily News, is considering approval of a "low-barrier" housing facility. Justin Schwartz, a 26-year-old, Spice-addicted veterans who has lived on the city's streets for five years, vows "I won't be homeless forever." The low-barrier program might be the perfect solution for him. Then again, it might the only solution. Read more at http://tdn.com/news/local/stepping-into-the-life-of-homelessness/article_2fcf352e-d8d0-11e3-ae5b-0019bb2963f4.html

GROUND WORK

When the Housing Authority of Jackson County unveiled plans in 2010 to build the 100-unit Cherry Creek affordable housing complex on empty parcel in Medford it probably thought it was a slam dunk. The site had been secured, the funding was in place and all seemed set to break ground. But then the protests came. And the litigation. And, even, the attempted arson. Earlier this year, the Authority finally celebrated a grand opening. Cherry Creek was, said one of its first residents, "a godsend!" So, how'd the Authority turn things around? Lots of hard work, a steely persistence and, maybe most important, a willingness to listen and talk in search of a compromise. COMMON GROUND - 1, NIMBY 0. Read more here.

BRIEF BRIEFS TOO

Almost finished in Nuosut, Atoasuk and Wainwright with the first dozen Northern Sustainable Shelter homes designed and built to withstand the climactic rigors of life above the Arctic Circle, the Tagiugmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority says building materials have arrived for the next dozen at Point Lay, Kaktovik and Anaktuvuk, some of which might be completed as early as fall. . .HUD Portland Field Office Director Robin Prichard announces her retirement effective June 27th. . .King County Housing & Community Development celebrates completion of $1.1 million project to install sidewalks along Renton Avenue in Skyway neighborhood of unincorporated King County. . .NerdWallet says Anchorage is 2nd, Seattle is 12th and Portland is 16th greenest city in U.S. . .Award of low income housing tax credits from Washington Housing Finance Commission and with earlier support from Benton County, Washington Housing Trust Fund and CDBG, Kennewick Housing Authority sets fall start date for construction of $6 million, 32-unit affordable housing complex for families. . .Smith-Barberi Progressive Fund sells 184-unit, 20-story Park Tower Apartments in Spokane to California firm on condition, reports Spokesman Review, that units remain affordable until at least 2049. . .Pocatello Neighborhood Housing Service renames itself NeighborWorks Pocatello. . .Sitka Assembly votes to give small parcel to Sitka Community Development Corporation, says KCAW-FM, "to build a single house on the lot, as the first step toward creating a community land trust in Sitka". . .St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County's Veterans Housing Project completes acquisition & rehab of fifth house. . .Blaine County Commission, says Idaho Mountain Express, gives green light to ARCH Community Housing's proposal to build Quail Ridge townhouses in Ketchum. . .The non-profit BRIDGE Housing completes acquisition of 111-unit Woodland Park Apartments in Portland & 474-unit Tressa in Seattle. . .Seattle Housing Authority celebrates grand opening of Epstein Community Learning Center, a former steam plant that powered Yesler Terrace homes and now, thanks to a conversion funded in part by HUD public housing funds, will power the mind young and old in the revitalized Yesler Terrace neighborhood. . .Bartlett Drugs and its customers, reports Snohomish Times, have contributed $100,000 to the Salvation Army to assist in recovery from the Oso mudslide in March. 

NOFA-TUNITY

HUD has set June 27th as the deadline to apply for some $47 million in Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program grants and $45 million for the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program grants as well as some $12 million in Health Homes supplemental funding to assist states and local governments and Tribes, to comprehensively identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately owned rental or owner-occupied housing. The Demonstration Grant program focuses on urban areas with the greatest lead paint hazard needs. Under the same funding opportunity, HUD is seeking applications for some $12 million is available for the Healthy Homes supplemental funds to assist grantees to identify and resolve other health and safety risks in the properties with lead paint hazards. For more, see FR-5800-N-04 at http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html?agencies%3DHUD%7CDepartment%20of%20Housing%20and%20Urban%20Development.

NOFA-TWO-NITY

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has set a July 14th deadline to apply for grants of up to $20 million under the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program created under the recently-enacted Farm Bill. Under the program, the Service "will co-invest in mobilizing creative and workable solutions to agricultural production and resource management challenges" in a way that " will benefit not only individual farming, ranching, and forest operations, but also local economies and the communities and resource users in a watershed or other geographic area that depend on the quality of the natural resources." Local, state and tribal governments, special districts, institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations are among those eligible to apply. For more, see USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-14-01 at http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html?agencies%3DUSDA%7CDepartment%20of%20Agriculture#.

NOFA-THREE-NITY

USDA's Utilities Service has set July 8th as the deadline to apply for a total of $13 million in Community Connect grants to currently unserved rural areas, "on a "community-oriented connectivity" basis, with broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public safety services." There is a $3 million award ceiling. Eligible applicants include town, city and county governments, for-profit and non-profit organizations, housing authorities, tribal governments, businesses and community organizations. For more, see RDRUS-CC-2014 at http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html?agencies%3DUSDA%7CDepartment%20of%20Agriculture#.

NO-FOUR-TUNITY

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle has set August 1st as the deadline for Member banks and their project sponsors to apply for some $4.9 million in Affordable Housing Program funds to support development of affordable housing. Each project may request up to $700,000 except in Alaska or Hawaii where up to $1 million may be necessary. Every year, the Seattle Bank contributes 10 percent of its net income from the previous year to fund affordable housing under its AHP. Since the program began 1990 it has provided almost $155 million to support than 28,000 affordable homes. The Bank will host Webinars about this year's application process on June 10th, 11th and 12th. Please see COMING UP below for more event information or visit http://www.fhlbsea.com/OurCompany/News/CommunityInvestment/2014/20140515.aspx.

NO-FIVE-TUNITY

USDA's Rural Development is now accepting applications from eligible lenders "up to" $150 million in Section 538 loan guarantees to finance the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of rural rental housing. The application deadline is December 31st and approved applications from prior years' notices will be the first to receive funding. Since 2009, USDA loan guarantees have provided 16,000 housing units to rural families. For more, visit http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-05-21/pdf/2014-11733.pdf.

NO-SIX-TUNITY

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has set a June 20th deadline to apply for grants of up to $100,000 through its Farmers Market Promotion Program that is designed to "increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets." Among others, cooperatives, producer and Community Supported Agriculture networks and associations, local, tribal and Alaska Native governments and economic development associations are eligible to apply. For more, see USDA-AMS-FMPP-2014 at http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html?agencies%3DUSDA%7CDepartment%20of%20Agriculture#.

BRIEF BRIEFS THREE

Mayor Dan Sullivan of Anchorage, Mayor Patty Lent of Bremerton, Mayor Kitty Piercy of Eugene, Mayor Brian Blad of Pocatello and Mayor David Condon of Spokane join national campaign committing their cities to end veterans homelessness by end of 2015. . .Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker Based designates Puget Sound region one of 12 in country Manufacturing Communities in country to be part of Obama Administration's Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership that will, under leadership of Puget Sound Regional Council, will develop long-term strategies to "attract and expand private investment in the manufacturing sector". . .Based on an old Works Progress Administration model, Central City Concern in Portland reports that, over the past five years, its Community Volunteer Corps has had 619 graduates who have provided 57,602 hours of service to the community. . .Anchorage Housing & Neighborhood Development Commission approves update to 10-year plan to end homelessness, says KTVA-TV, and forwards for approval by Anchorage Assembly. . .Mayor Charlie Hales makes significant changes to six of Portland's 11 urban renewal areas adding estimated $158 in local taxing authority by restoring more than $1 billion in properties to tax rolls reports Daily Journal of Commerce-Oregon. . .City Council, says Seattle Times, votes to lower height of houses on small lots. . .Housing Works & Oregon ON honor State Representative Gene Whisnant for his legislation setting aside portion of real estate recording tax to fund veterans housing projects. . .Benton County Habitat for Humanity's WomenBuild, reports Chinook Observer, completes duplex for Corvallis residents.

WHO'S NEXT?

Last year the Rasmuson Foundation in Anchorage won. The year before it was the Oregon Community Foundation. So which foundation will win the 2014 HUD Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships in Federal Region X? Don't have a clue. But if you work for a foundation, you can - and should - have a say in this year's competition.  The award is designed to recognize the strategies completed or ongoing since June 10th, 2013 by public-philanthropic partnerships to "to increase the quality of life for low and moderate-income residents across all American geographies — urban, suburban, and rural." The application must be completed on-line at the site below and submitted by June 10th. For more, visit http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/HUD-531_Award_2014_Brochure_New.pdf.

NOMINAT 'EM

It's that time again. Housing Washington is still months away - - but you've only got until August 1st to submit your nominations for 2014 Friend of Housing to the Washington State Housing Finance. You've been in the affordable housing business for a while, right? So, you know what a Friend of Housing is - someone who creates and supports affordable housing, who comes up with innovative funding for affordable housing, who implements effective, efficient affordable housing programs, who educates people about the need for affordable housing, who helps people get over the roadblocks sometimes faced by affordable housing, who advances the cause of affordable housing among our elected representatives. Someone, in other words, who lives, breathes, eats and is just plain nuts for and about affordable housing. You know 'em cause you work with 'em. So nominate 'em! For move, visit http://www.wshfc.org/admin/foh.htm

QUOTE TO NOTE

"When I took office, businesses were shedding 800,000 jobs a month, our deficits were heading towards $1 trillion a year, and every member of my Cabinet had a tough job in front of them. Few had a tougher job than Shaun Donovan. . .Now, here's the problem -- when you're good at your job, people always want you to do even more. And that's why today I am nominating Shaun to be the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget. . .Over the years, Shaun has taken an agency with a $40 billion budget; he's made it smarter and he's made it more efficient. He's changed the way HUD uses data to solve problems and save taxpayer dollars. He's helped build strong, sustainable neighborhoods -- and connect those neighborhoods with good schools and good jobs. He's helped reduce homelessness among our veterans by 24 percent since 2010. And he's helped 4.3 million families buy their piece of the American Dream: a new home. . .So Shaun has earned a reputation as a great manager, a fiscally responsible leader, and somebody who knows how the decisions we make here in Washington affect people's lives all across the country. And that's why I'm absolutely confident he will do a great job leading the Office of Management and Budget, and help even more hardworking Americans get ahead." -President Barack Obama on his decision to nominate Shaun Donovan as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, May 23, 2013 at The White House. Full transcript available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/23/remarks-president-nomination-shaun-donovan-omb-director-and-mayor-juli-n.

QUOTE WORTHY

"Affordable housing is a scarce resource in many cities. America's housing policy has never fully met the demand for affordable rental housing, and the number of households served by federal rental assistance has essentially plateaued. Today, only 24 percent of the 19 million eligible households receive assistance—basically, only one in four households wins the housing assistance lottery. . .The assistance lottery isn't the only housing challenge that low-income families face. Across the country, only 3.2 million housing units are available at rents that are affordable for more than 11 million extremely low-income households. This leaves 8 million households—households earning 30 percent or less of the area's median income, which ranges from $7,450 to $33,300, — spending a large portion of their income on rent, living in substandard housing, or both." - - Erika Poethig, until recent HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development & Research, in the May 28th Urban Institute's Metro Trends blog.

FAC-TASTIC

As of April 30, 2014, there were 323,442 "active" FHA-insured mortgages in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, providing homes to around 960,000 moms, dads and kids. If you were to put all of those FHA-insured homes in just place, the resulting community would be the largest city in the Northwest and either the 11th or 10th most populous city in the United States.

WORTH A READ

 Sometimes the smallest things create the biggest headaches. That was certainly true of Plymouth Healing Communities efforts to build an eight-unit apartment building in South Seattle for people with mental illness. The good news? After six years, they got it done. The bad news? It "was like a mouse trying to dance with elephants," Plymouth Healing's Gary Southerton told Crosscut. So how'd the twosome start dancing the right step to the same tune? Read The Crosscut account at http://crosscut.com/2014/05/27/community-idea-lab/120153/argonaut-house-collaborative-mentally-ill-housing/.

NOTES TO NOTE

Veterans Affairs sets June 6th deadline to apply for total of $6 million to provide transportation to veterans in "highly rural areas". . ..HUD sets June 10th nomination deadline for 2014 HUD Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships HUD sets June 16th deadline to submit comments on proposed Round II Promise Zone selection process. . . City of Seattle Office of Housing sets June 2014 deadline to submit applications under Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Loan Program. . .Seattle Office of Housing sets June deadline to apply for $7 million in Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Loan Fund. . .Washington Department of Commerce sets June 19th deadline to apply for General Purpose Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. . .USDA sets June 20th deadline to apply for grants of up to $100,000 through its Farmers Market Promotion Program. . .Portland Housing Bureau sets June 22nd as deadline to apply for HOME, CDBG and other funds in its Spring 2014 NOFA. . .Portland Housing Bureau sets June 23rd deadline to apply for $1 million in Multiple-Unit Limited Tax Exemptions. . .HUD sets June 27th deadline to apply for some $47 million in Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program, $45 million for the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grants and $12 million in Healthy Homes supplemental funding. . .USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service sets June 30th deadline to apply for $18.9 million under Intermediary Lending Program to support business facilities and community development and $25.4 million under Rural Microentrepreneur Development Assistance Program. . .USDA Utilities Service sets July 8th deadline to apply for total of $13 million in Community Connect grants. . .USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service sets July 14th deadline to apply for grants of up to $20 million to support development of Regional Conservation Partnerships in rural areas. . .HHS' Administration for Children & Families sets July 21st deadline for community development corporations to apply for community economic development grants of up to $800,000. . .Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle sets August 1st deadline to apply for some $4.9 million in Affordable Housing Program funds. . .Housing Washington sets August 1st deadline to submit nominations for 2014 Friend of Housing awards. . .Oregon Housing & Community Services says it will release its 2014 HOME & Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) NOFA no later than June 6th with applications due August 15th. . .USDA Rural Housing Service sets December 31st deadline to apply for "up to" $150 million in Section 538 loan guarantees for construction or rehabilitation of rural rental housing.

COMING UP

Portland Housing Bureau hosts Spring Equity Forum, June 2nd, Portland. Visit https://www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/article/491991.

King County Office of Civil Rights offers Fair Housing 101 for Non-Profit Transitional & Shelter Providers, June 3rd, Seattle. Visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/CivilRights/FH/FHWorkshops.aspx.

HUD's Northwest Office of Native American Programs hosts workshop on Environmental Review for Housing Rehab, June 3rd & 4th, Seattle.

Association of Alaska Housing Authorities hosts Pest Eradication (Bed Bugs) & Mold Remediation Training, June 9th & 10th. Anchorage. Visit http://www.aahaak.org/upcoming-events.php.

Leading Age Washington holds annual conference, June 9th to 12th, Pasco. Visit
http://leadingagewa.org/2014-conference/.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle hosts Webinar on Scoring Criteria &Application Basics for Member banks and project sponsors applying for 2014 Affordable Housing Program funds, June 10th, on-line. Visit http://www.fhlbsea.com/OurCompany/Events/2014/2014008.aspx.

Cascadia Green Building Council offers on-line Understanding the Living Building Challenge, June 10th, on-line. Visit http://living-future.org/events/understanding-living-building-challenge-online-workshop.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle hosts Webinar on Rental Project Feasibility for Member banks and project sponsors applying for 2014 Affordable Housing Program funds, June 11th, on-line. Visit http://www.fhlbsea.com/OurCompany/Events/2014/2014008.aspx.

Oregon Housing & Community Services hosts workshop on 2014 HOME & Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) NOFA, June 12th, Salem.  

Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle hosts Webinar on Owner-Occupied Project Feasibility for Member banks and project sponsors applying for 2014 Affordable Housing Program funds, June 12th, on-line. Visit http://www.fhlbsea.com/OurCompany/Events/2014/2014008.aspx.

Housing Consortium of Everett & Snohomish County hosts annual affordable housing conference, June 13th, Everett. Visit http://housingsnohomish.org/.

RurALCAP hosts 2014 Rural Providers Conference, June 16th to 20th, Fairbanks. Visit http://ruralcap.com/?p=2065.

Association of Washington Cities holds annual conference, June 17th to 20th, Spokane. Visit http://www.hud.gov/washington.

Association of Alaska Housing Authorities & HUD Alaska Office of Native American Programs hosts Site Control workshop, June17th to 20th, Anchorage. Visit http://www.aahaak.org/upcoming-events.php.

HUD's Northwest Office of Native American Programs hosts workshop on Environmental Review for New Construction, June 18th & 19th, Seattle.

Association of Idaho Cities holds 67th annual conference, June 18th to 20th, Boise. Visit http://www.idahocities.org/index.aspx?nid=132.

Idaho AHMA hosts Managing Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Compliance with Other Programs workshop, June 24th, Boise. Visit http://www.idahoahma.org/training-credentials/managing-lihtc-compliance.

HUD Seattle's Office of Residential Care Facilities offers a workshop for lenders and underwriters involved in FHA Section 232 mortgage financing, July 8th & 9th, Seattle.

King County Office of Civil Rights offers Introductory & Advanced Fair Housing Workshops, July 16th, Seattle. Visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/CivilRights/FH/FHWorkshops.aspx.

Northwest Community Development Institute host Advanced - July 21st to 23red - and Years One-to-Three - July 21st to 25th - in Boise. Visit http://secure.meetingsystems.com/nwcdi/.

HUD Portland hosts Basics of Fair Housing workshop, July 23rd, Portland.

Oregon Affordable Housing Management Acssociation (AHMA) hosts workshop on Basic Occupancy for Farm Labor Housing Managers, July 29th, Salem. Visit http://oregonaffordablehousingmanagement.com/2014-Classes/July29-2014-Farm-Labor-Occ-Practical-FH-SCC-Fillable-Savable.pdf.

Oregon AHMA hosts workshop on Practical Fair Housing in the 21st Century, July 29th, Salem. Visit http://oregonaffordablehousingmanagement.com/2014-Classes/July29-2014-Farm-Labor-Occ-Practical-FH-SCC-Fillable-Savable.pdf.

Oregon AHMA hosts workshop on Practical Fair Housing in the 21st Century, July 31st, Redmond. Visit http://oregonaffordablehousingmanagement.com/2014-Classes/July31-2014Practical-FH-for-the-21stCentury-REDMONDFillableSavable.pdf.

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