On December 31, 2011, we released a final proposal for improving the delivery and operation of affordable housing in a report titled “Federal Rental Alignment: Administrative Proposals”. The report puts forward 10 proposals for better aligning affordable rental housing programs administered by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, and the Treasury.

Our proposals were strengthened by the excellent comments and suggestions we received after our July 2011 Rental Alignment Conference, where federal, state, local, and private-sector stakeholders kicked off two federal ‘alignment pilots’ and announced drafts of the 10 proposals finalized in this report. Many of our stakeholders and partners noted ways in which we could improve our plan for implementation. For example, as a result of the feedback we’ve received, the physical inspections pilot timeframe has been extended, and we’ve clarified the types of waivers that might be needed when implementing the pilot. In the area of financial reporting, stakeholders suggested that we differentiate between short- and long-term strategies for alignment – a change that you’ll see reflected in the final proposal. We’ve also expanded several of the proposals to include technical assistance and training to better facilitate adoption of new standards. You can view a detailed summary of report changes and their relation to comments received here. As you look through the final proposals, you’ll see that federal staff across HUD, USDA, and Treasury carefully considered the comments we received, and strengthened our recommendations to include a clear plan for timely implementation.

The proposals contained in this report (and summarized below) are achievable, will streamline federal housing requirements to support more efficient delivery of affordable housing, and will help state and federal personnel better serve low-income families who rent their homes. You can access the full report here.

Alignment Initiatives




Acronym Guide

CPD
Community Planning and Development
CRD
Civil Rights Division
FHEO
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
HFA
Housing Finance Agency
HUD
Department of Housing and Urban Development
MF
Multifamily
OSHC
Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
PIH
Public and Indian Housing
PJ
Participating Jurisdiction
RD
Rural Development
USDA
Department of Agriculture