Federal Advocacy Priorities FY 2017

COSCDA Federal Advocacy Priorities

For Congressional Appropriators COSCDA Federal Funding Priorities For Fiscal Year 2017

For Congressional Authorizers COSCDA Federal Policy Priorities For Fiscal Year 2017

For HUD Officials COSCDA Federal HUD Programmatic Priorities For Fiscal Year 2017

Four areas: Community Development Housing Homelessness Cross-cutting

Community Development Priorities  CDBG Funding – FY 2017  Provide state administrative fee flexibility  Withdraw CDBG entitlement criteria changes

Community Development Priorities  Provide Flexibility to Davis Bacon Requirements

CD Priorities: CDBG Funding Funding Request – FY 2017: $3.3 billion FY 2016: $3.0 billion FY 2015: $3.0 billion President’s request: $2.8 billion

CD Priorities: CDBG Recent Funding

CD Priorities: CDBG Administrative Fees  Amount not subject to match: $500,000, up from $100,000  State administrative fee cap: 3% to 5% of allocation COSCDA to ask HUD to pursue with Congress

CD Priorities: Withdraw CDBG Entitlement Criteria Changes  Establish a minimum grant threshold : $350,000  Eliminate grandfathering  Affect over 300 entitlement communities

CD Priorities: Davis- Bacon Wage Rate Exemption Exempt CDBG: ◦Disaster Recovery ◦When used with USDA

Housing Priorities  HOME Program Funding – FY 2017  Strengthen the HOME Program with Revisions to the Rule  Protect Low-Income Housing Tax Credits

Housing Priorities  Provide Flexibility to States in HOME Commitment Deadline  Maintain the Integrity of the National Housing Trust Fund and HOME  Issue Guidance on the National Housing Trust Fund

Housing Priorities: HOME Program Funding  Funding Request – FY 2017 : $1.3 billion FY 2016: $950 million FY 2015: $900 million FY 2014 : $1 billion No setasides

HOME Program Recent Funding

 CHDOs  Inspections Housing Priorities: Strengthen the HOME Program with Revisions to the Rule

Housing Priorities: Low- Income Housing Tax Credits As the new Congress considers revision to tax code, it should recognize and continue to support the Low-Income Tax Credit Program.

Housing Priorities: Provide Flexibility to States in HOME Commitment Deadline Cumulative method (Current HUD compliance determination) vs. Grant –specific method (IG/GAO required compliance determination)

Housing Priorities: Issue Guidance on the NHTF States need to develop their Action Plan and need guidance from HUD.

Homelessness Priorities  McKinney Vento Funding – FY 2017 : $2.5 billion  Increase Funding Level for Emergency Solutions Grants  Grandfather Transitional Housing  Remove the Disincentive to Convert Continuum of Care Projects to Permanent Housing

Recent Funding History

Homelessness Priorities  Provide for Separate Funding for Planning Grants in the CoC Competition  Provide Support for Homelessness Technical Assistance and Training  Delay Implementation of the Rural Homelessness Component of HEARTH

Homelessness Priorities Con’t  Allow Public Housing Authorities to be Subrecipients of Emergency Solutions Grants  Support Vouchers for Homeless Assistance

Cross-Cutting Priorities  Clarify States' Role in Affirmatively Further Fair Housing  Implement Flexible Section 3 Requirements

Cross-Cutting Priorities  Continue to Include States in the Development of the HUD Environmental Review Online System

Linda Thompson COSCDA Director of Advocacy and Federal Programs