Search Results for keywords:"Rural Housing Service"

The Department of Agriculture has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act. They are seeking public comments on whether this data collection is necessary, the accuracy of the time estimates, and how to reduce the burden of data collection. The Rural Housing Service is using this collection to manage and evaluate the Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP), which aims to increase affordable rural rental housing by partnering with lenders and public agencies. Interested parties have until March 15, 2021, to submit comments.

The Rural Housing Service of the USDA issued a final rule to update regulations for Multi-Family Housing and Community Facilities, aligning them with new federal financial assistance guidelines from the Office of Management and Budget. Significant changes include raising the audit threshold to $1 million for certain federal financial assistance recipients and revising financial language to ensure compliance with OMB updates. Additionally, the rule clarifies exceptions and updates language in specific sections related to applications and financial reporting requirements. These changes are effective from December 6, 2024.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the USDA issued a correction to a rule published on January 3, 2025, related to amendments in the Single Family Housing Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loan Programs. Originally set to become effective on March 4, 2025, the rule's effective date has been delayed to May 5, 2025. This correction was published in the Federal Register and involves updates to improve and clarify the existing housing loan programs.

The Department of Agriculture is seeking public comments as part of its submission of information collection requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Various programs within the Rural Housing Service, including Civil Rights Compliance, Fire and Rescue Loans, and the Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program, are highlighted for their information collection efforts. These collections aim to ensure compliance with civil rights laws, determine project feasibility, and manage government resources efficiently. Public comments regarding these collections are due by February 20, 2025.

The Rural Housing Service of the USDA has issued a final rule to update smoke alarm requirements for housing funded through its Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan Programs. This rule aligns with the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which mandates that federally assisted housing units must have either hardwired smoke alarms or 10-year battery-powered alarms that are sealed and tamper-resistant, with additional notification systems for individuals with hearing loss. The changes aim to enhance safety in rural housing units by ensuring smoke alarms meet modern safety standards, and they apply from January 21, 2025. Feedback from the public was considered, but no changes were made to the final rule as a result.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) and other agencies under the U.S. Department of Agriculture are seeking to revise an existing information collection to ensure they comply with civil rights laws. This involves gathering data on the people served by RHS programs to verify that they receive benefits without discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The information collected is used for internal monitoring and is shared with other federal agencies and Congress. The public is invited to comment on whether this collection is necessary, its burden, and ways to improve or reduce the burden, with comments due by March 15, 2021.

The Rural Housing Service has issued a final rule to update regulations for the Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program and the SFH Guaranteed Loan Program. This change aims to provide borrowers with more purchase options and enhance the overall experience of these programs. Key updates include allowing the purchase of existing manufactured homes according to safety standards and extending land-lease terms for new energy-efficient homes. The rule also revises definitions and removes some administrative requirements, reflecting public feedback to improve access to affordable housing in rural areas.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a branch of the USDA, has extended its pilot program for simplifying transfers of certain rural rental housing properties. This program, which now includes Section 514 properties, aims to reduce application requirements, lower costs, and improve processing times for ownership changes. There are three transfer options focusing on expedited ownership change, rehabilitation, and future rehabilitation plans, each tailored to different property conditions and needs. The program will run until December 9, 2025, and any changes or termination will be publicly announced by the RHS.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a part of the United States Department of Agriculture, is inviting applications for Section 514 Off-Farm Labor Housing loans and Section 516 Off-Farm Labor Housing grants. These funds are aimed at building new housing for domestic farm laborers, including retired or disabled ones, to boost affordable housing availability. The process involves a pre-application and final application phase, and RHS encourages applications that offer benefits to rural communities, especially those in Opportunity Zones or persistent poverty areas. Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria and the deadline for submissions is outlined in the notice.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the Department of Agriculture announced updates to the competitive process for lenders submitting applications for the Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). The updates include new scoring criteria focusing on priorities like maturing mortgages and Qualified Contract waivers, adjustments in scoring points, and changes to the application process such as requiring lenders to include closing dates and details about commercial spaces. Applications are being accepted continuously, and funding will depend on allocations provided by the Appropriations Act each fiscal year. The goal of the GRRHP is to increase affordable rental housing in rural areas by supporting partnerships between private lenders and public agencies.