NHC announces 2024 Housing Visionary Awards Gala honorees

NHC announced the honorees for recognition at its Annual Housing Visionary Awards Gala on June 5 at The Anthem in Washington, DC. This year’s recipients are distinguished leaders in housing and community development whose work has helped move our nation toward NHC’s vision of an America where everyone can live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community.

The 2024 Housing Visionary Award honorees are Tia Boatman Patterson, President of the California Community Reinvestment Coalition, and the Congressional Leaders of Affordable Housing Tax Policy, a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives addressing the shortage of affordable housing in the country. Joseph M. Ventrone, former Vice President of Federal Policy and Industry Relations at the National Association of REALTORS® and a longtime leader in housing policy in the executive and legislative branches and private sector, will be honored with the Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service. 

The Congressional Leaders of Affordable Housing Tax Policy is a bipartisan group of congressional leaders who are working to address the shortage of affordable housing in this country through legislation, such as the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act and the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, which will facilitate the construction of more homes and neighborhood revitalization. Members of this group whom NHC will honor at this year’s gala include Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), as well as Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), and former Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.).

David Dworkin, NHC’s President and CEO, commended this year’s honorees stating, “Tia Boatman Patterson's unwavering dedication to affordable housing has uplifted California communities, leaving a lasting impact through her visionary leadership and tireless advocacy. Joe Ventrone's five-decade commitment to housing issues has been an exemplary journey of service and leadership, influencing policy and driving positive change across diverse sectors from Capitol Hill to federal agencies, leaving an indelible mark on affordable housing initiatives nationwide. The bipartisan group of Congressional Leaders of Affordable Housing Tax Policy recognizes the demand for affordable housing transcends partisan divides. They are actively collaborating across party lines to address the pressing shortage, driving forward legislation aimed at fostering the construction of additional homes and revitalizing neighborhoods."

Bipartisan group introduces bill to boost housing supply

Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) introduced a new bipartisan bill that seeks to address the nation’s affordable housing supply meaningfully. The bill, called the Housing Supply and Affordability Act, would create a new Local Housing Policy Grant (LHPG) program through HUD that provides grants to increase housing supply and remove barriers to producing more housing. The bill would create a $300 million annual grant program for five years to help governments facing rising housing costs develop a housing plan to increase supply and limit potential displacement, requiring 10% of funds to go to rural areas and a priority for plans that consider equitable outcomes. 

“Safe, affordable housing lays the necessary foundation for a secure future. Families in Ohio’s Third Congressional District and the United States as a whole are feeling the negative effects of outdated and exclusionary policies that have left homeownership out of reach for far too many,” said Rep. Beatty. “The bipartisan, bicameral Housing Supply and Affordability Act will address the root causes of our nation’s severe housing shortage by incentivizing state and local governments to enact policies that increase housing inventory and lower costs, helping prospective buyers and families find a place they can call home.”

Up for Growth, the National Apartment Association, the National Multifamily Housing Council, the American Planning Association, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the National NeighborWorks Association, and a range of other local organizations support the legislation.

“The Housing Supply and Affordability Act marks an important step in addressing the nation's housing shortage,” said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth. “By providing critical investment to help localities take a collaborative approach to expand their housing supply, this bill is a thoughtful and effective way to address housing challenges while respecting the varied needs of different communities.”

House committee discusses proposed veterans home sustainability program

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (VA) held a hearing about the proposed VA Service Purchasing (VASP) program titled “Sink or Swim? A Deep Dive into the Current State of VA’s Home Loan Program in a Competitive Market.” If implemented, The VASP program would allow veterans to pause or reduce mortgage payments if they are at risk of foreclosure by refinancing the loan at a 2.5% interest rate for veterans who are at least 90 days delinquent on payment. According to John Bell, Executive Director, Loan Guaranty Service for the Veterans Benefits Administration, the VASP program would assist 40,000 veterans at risk of losing their homes. The VA implemented a partial claim program with similar goals during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that program expired in fall 2022. The housing community has been advocating for the partial claim program to be made permanent.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, asked Bell a series of questions during the hearing. Van Orden was critical of VASP, both as a whole and regarding delays in program design.

“While this program may benefit some veterans who are at risk of foreclosure, it also poses a real moral hazard of encouraging veteran borrowers to become delinquent to take advantage of a much lower monthly payment,” said Rep. Van Orden.

Ed DeMarco, President of the Housing Policy Council, Mark Jones, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, and Steve Sharpe, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, testified at the hearing. DeMarco's testimony noted that the VA has fewer loss mitigation programs than other agencies.

“The options VA makes available to mortgage servicers in assisting VA borrowers behind on their mortgages fall short of those available to similarly situated homeowners whose loans are backed by FHA, USDA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac. This is not acceptable,” said DeMarco. “Whatever the reason for whether the VA lacks the legislative authority, lacks the funding, lacks the human resources, or some other reason, this cannot continue.”

HUD grants $115 million towards Senior Housing

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Investing in America” tour, HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman announced a $115 million grant in Philadelphia, supporting the development and enhancement of affordable rental housing for low-income seniors. This initiative, under HUD’s Section 202 Supportive housing for the Elderly program, aims to create resilient, energy-efficient homes for individuals aged 62 or older. “Creating these homes will enable older adults to live independently. It is important that we provide opportunities for seniors of modest means to age with grace and dignity in a supportive environment,” said HUD Deputy Secretary Todman.

$35 million of the funds will be directed toward creating intergenerational housing units, catering to households led by seniors raising children. This approach reflects the administration’s holistic strategy to meet diverse housing needs. “These funds, allocated for both rental assistance and development costs, offer a solution to address the persistent housing needs of seniors across the nation,” said Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. The announcement builds on previous initiatives, such as the October 2023 allocation of $161.1 million in Section 202 grants to 25 grantees across 14 states, creating nearly 1,300 units for eligible households. 

HUD awards $73.5 million towards the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program

HUD is allocating $73.5 million under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) to enhance energy efficiency and climate resilience in 10 HUD-assisted multifamily properties, benefiting around 1,400 low-income families. The announcement highlights HUD’s commitment to providing affordable housing for low-income families, including 44 homes for seniors. “HUD wants these families to have better access to clean energy upgrades like solar panels and modern and efficient heating and cooling systems, so that they too can have resilient homes,” said HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge.

This round of funding builds on the administration’s broader efforts to boost energy efficiency and combat climate change nationwide. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act established the GRRP with over $800 million for grant and loan subsidy funding. The initiative aligns with the Justice40 Initiative, aiming to direct 40 percent of certain Federal investments’ benefits to marginalized communities. The awards announced today, part of GRRP’s Leading Edge category, involve high-performance green building certifications, emphasizing substantial energy efficiency and climate resilience improvements. These investments aim to reduce carbon emissions, enhance resilience to extreme weather, and contribute to environmental justice. 

USDA announces $770 million in funding for rural communities

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced over $770 million in funding for 216 projects to help bring high-speed internet, clean water, infrastructure, and economic growth to rural communities. The projects span 45 states, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands and are estimated to benefit over 1 million people. Of the funding, $51.7 million will go toward expanding high-speed internet access; $76.6 million will fund various projects that help small towns, businesses, and family farms; and $644.2 million will provide clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act enabled much of the funding.

““The investments I'm announcing today will help us build our economy from the middle out and bottom up by bringing high-speed internet, clean water, modern infrastructure and good-paying jobs to communities in rural areas, in turn making it more possible for young people to build a good life in the communities they love, and for more Americans to find new opportunity in rural communities,” said Secretary Vilsack.