By KIMBERLEY HAAS Homelessness has risen for individuals and people with disabilities, according to the 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report released on Monday by officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Homelessness among single individuals increased by 3.1%. The number of people with disabilities experiencing homelessness for long periods of time increased by 16% between 2020 and 2022. The report found 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2022. States with the highest numbers of people who were homeless in 2022 include California (171,521), New York (74,178), Florida (25,959), Washington (25,211), and Texas (24,432). Officials say the Biden-Harris Administration is working to reverse the post-2016 trend of rising homelessness. Their goal is to…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS As prices for rental housing continue to climb in many parts of the country, bidding wars are becoming more common. According to a report released last week by Joel Berner and Danielle Hale for Realtor.com, rent has reached another high in the company’s data history, averaging $1,827 in the 50 largest US metropolitan areas. Rental increases are most pronounced in Sun Belt metros, Berner and Hale wrote. That is because as more people have the opportunity to work remotely they are choosing warmer climates to live in. Three Florida metros are particularly affected. They include Miami, where rent was up 51.6% from April 2021; Orlando, 32.9%; and Tampa, 27.8%. Overall median rent in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale,…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS Officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are making an additional $3,285,353 in American Rescue Plan funding available to help fight housing discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made on Tuesday and according to a press release, this is the third round of American Rescue Plan funding that targets COVID-19 related discrimination. About $16.1 million in funding has been awarded to 62 HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program agencies to address the impact the pandemic has had on communities of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations. Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, said in a statement that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to reveal…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS Vice President Kamala Harris joined officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday to announce the delivery of a plan designed to dismantle racial bias in the home lending and appraisal process. The Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) Action Plan submitted to President Joe Biden will, when enacted, represent the most wide-ranging set of reforms ever put forward to advance equity in the home appraisal process, according to a press release. During her speech, Harris described how a home ensures future financial security and peace of mind for families. “Imagine a young couple that saves enough money to put a down payment on a home. The day they…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced over $2.6 billion to fund roughly 7,000 local homeless housing and service programs throughout the country. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said that access to stable housing is a basic necessity and the safety of a home is essential as the United States continues to fight COVID. “These Continuum of Care program grants, coupled with the historic resources in the American Rescue Plan, will deliver communities the resources needed to ensure that every person in a respective community has the equitable opportunity to a safe and stable home,” Fudge said in a statement released on Monday. The FY 2021 Continuum of Care Competition Awards will provide funding…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice have announced a settlement in a lawsuit against a Connecticut town that refused to allow the operation of a group home for people with mental health disabilities.
The DOJ lawsuit alleges officials in Wolcott, Conn. violated the Fair Housing Act when they denied a special use permit to L&R Realty and SELF, Inc. to open a residence for 13 geriatric adults with mental health disabilities.
Lawyers at the Justice Department filed suit last December.
“Local governments do not have the right to use zoning laws and restrictions as a vehicle to discriminate against people with disabilities,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in…
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced that mortgage insurance on Federal Housing Administration loans will remain the same for the foreseeable future. “Given the current FHA delinquency crisis and our duty to manage risks and the overall health of the fund, we have no near-term plans to change FHA’s mortgage insurance premium pricing,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said. “We will continue to rigorously evaluate our strategy and work transparently with Congress. Our number one priority is helping families keep their homes and remain safe as we work toward an equitable recovery.” What is FHA mortgage insurance? Bankrate explains: All FHA loans require the borrower to pay two mortgage insurance premiums: Upfront mortgage insurance premium: 1.75 percent of the loan amount,…
Housing and Urban Development Secretary touched off a mini political storm last week when she answered a political question in the White House briefing room, raising concerns that she violated the Hatch Act in the process. The Hatch Act prohibits executive branch employees from engaging political activity as part of their government work. They can do political work, but it must be separated from their government jobs. Fudge was in the White House briefing room Thursday with Press Secretary Jen Psaki when she was asked by a reporter about the race to succeed her in Congress. She declined to answer, but was then asked about the Ohio Senate race. Here is how she responded when asked if there were any…
The Department of Housing and Urban Development posted a welcome video from new Secretary Marcia Fudge, who was sworn in Wednesday after being confirmed by the Senate earlier in the day. Here is her video: And here are the remarks: A good home shapes nearly every part of our lives. It’s where we start and end each day. It’s where we raise our families and come together in times of joy. It’s where we find shelter and comfort during times of hardship. The past year has reminded us just how important it is to have a safe and stable place to call home. But, right now-for millions of Americans-that sense of security and peace of mind is out of reach.…
The Senate voted 66-34 on Wednesday to confirm former Rep. Marcia Fudge as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, as the nation’s housing market faces major challenges in the coming months with the end of bans on evictions and foreclosures. “I’m honored to serve as the 18th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,” Fudge said in her welcome remarks. “I am proud to join a group of public servants who work with compassion and determination to change the lives of those in need. And I can’t wait to get started.” Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that millions of Americans face foreclosure and eviction from their homes once housing pandemic protections come to an end. The CFPB…
