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Akron and Summit County Land Bank Unveil Pre-Reviewed 'Made in Akron' Housing Plans

Akron and Summit County Land Bank Unveil Pre-Reviewed 'Made in Akron' Housing Plans

The City of Akron and the Summit County Land Bank have announced the completion of the 'Made in Akron' housing plans. This initiative introduces a collection of 10 pre-reviewed residential designs aimed at simplifying the construction of high-quality new homes that align with the architectural character of Akron's neighborhoods. Developed by Akron-based Grassroots Architecture in collaboration with the City and Land Bank, these plans have undergone pre-review by the Summit County Building Standards Department. This pre-approval process is intended to streamline permitting and review for builders and future homeowners. The project also includes a 'Made in Akron Pattern Book,' which provides a clear design vision for new residential construction, drawing inspiration from existing Akron architecture. The available designs range from two-bedroom cottages to three-bedroom, two-story single-family homes, and also include plans for two-family homes and small three-unit apartment buildings. Each design meets curre...

HUD Awards $25.1 Million Grant to Fayetteville for Murchison Choice Neighborhood Transformation

HUD Awards $25.1 Million Grant to Fayetteville for Murchison Choice Neighborhood Transformation

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a $25,115,578 grant to the City of Fayetteville and the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA). This funding, provided through the Fiscal Year 2025 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Grant program, is designated for the transformation of the Murchison Townhouses public housing community into the new mixed-income Murchison Choice Neighborhood. U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC7) announced the award, highlighting his advocacy for the project. The grant is expected to leverage over $531 million in additional public and private investment, forming a comprehensive strategy to revitalize one of Fayetteville’s historic neighborhoods. The plan includes replacing all 60 units at the 56-year-old Murchison Townhouses and creating 323 new mixed-income apartments across the Murchison Townhouses and Elliott Properties sites. Additionally, the project will expand supportive services for residents and implement physical improvements throu...

Fayetteville Secures $25 Million Federal Grant for Murchison Road Redevelopment

Fayetteville Secures $25 Million Federal Grant for Murchison Road Redevelopment

Fayetteville, North Carolina, has been awarded a $25 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the revitalization of its Murchison Road corridor. This funding is part of the Murchison Choice Transformation Plan, a comprehensive strategy aimed at replacing aging public housing, expanding supportive services, and rebuilding neighborhood infrastructure. The plan specifically targets the redevelopment of the Murchison Townhouses and Elliott Circle, two public housing complexes near Fayetteville State University. The city anticipates that this federal investment will leverage over $531 million in additional public and private funding. This award marks the first time a community in eastern North Carolina has received a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant. The city's Economic and Community Development Director, Chris Cauley, noted that the city strengthened its proposal by collaborating with builder Pennrose and Urban Strategies, a national nonprofit focused o...

Fayetteville Awarded $25.1 Million HUD Grant for Murchison Corridor Transformation

Fayetteville Awarded $25.1 Million HUD Grant for Murchison Corridor Transformation

The City of Fayetteville and the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA) have been awarded a $25,115,578 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This grant will fund the next phase of the Murchison Choice Transformation Plan, a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the Murchison Townhouses public housing community and the surrounding Murchison Corridor. The plan aims to transform this historic neighborhood into a sustainable, mixed-income community by replacing all 60 existing public housing units, creating 323 new mixed-income apartments, and investing in new infrastructure and community services. This award marks a historic first for eastern North Carolina, as no community in the region had previously received a Choice Neighborhoods grant.

Hacienda CDC and UnidosUS Launch 'Mass Casitas' to Address Oregon's Affordable Housing Shortage

Hacienda CDC and UnidosUS Launch 'Mass Casitas' to Address Oregon's Affordable Housing Shortage

Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Hacienda CDC), supported by the UnidosUS Home Ownership Means Equity (HOME) initiative and the national pilot program PASOS (Pathways to Advancement Through Skills, Ownership and Support), is addressing Oregon's housing shortage by developing 'Mass Casitas.' These are factory-produced mass timber modular homes designed for affordability, sustainability, and rapid deployment. The initiative aims to provide 'ready-to-assemble' homes, similar to IKEA products, that can be shipped and quickly assembled on appropriate plots of land, even in remote locations. This approach also integrates construction training and homebuyer education. The first six Mass Casitas have been donated, including to a single mother and a couple displaced by a wildfire. This project seeks to create social and economic stability, particularly for Hispanic communities in Oregon, where homeownership rates are significantly lower than for white households and nearly half of Hispanic renters face s...

HUD Updates Public Housing Demolition and Disposition Guidance, Expands Eligibility

HUD Updates Public Housing Demolition and Disposition Guidance, Expands Eligibility

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued Notice PIH 2026-23, updating its guidance on the demolition and disposition of public housing properties. This new guidance aims to provide relief for financially struggling properties by expanding eligibility criteria. Key changes include allowing mixed-finance affordable rental homes to qualify for disposition if they meet specific conditions, such as the expiration of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) compliance period or 15 years since the last major recapitalization, coupled with documented capital needs and insufficient financial resources. HUD now explicitly recognizes functional obsolescence as a valid basis for demolition or disposition in certain situations, particularly when building or site design flaws necessitate reconstruction. The notice also expands the definition of 'very small Public Housing Authorities (PHAs)' from 50 to 75 units, increases scattered-site eligibility from four to six units on one side of a blo...

Massachusetts Housing Projects Receive $278 Million in Public Funding to Boost Affordability

Massachusetts Housing Projects Receive $278 Million in Public Funding to Boost Affordability

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced a significant allocation of $278 million in state and federal funding for 29 housing projects across 20 communities. This marks the largest single round of housing awards in the state in over a decade, according to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. The funding aims to create 930 new homes, preserve 1,182 affordable units, and redevelop 310 public housing units. Governor Healey attributed this substantial investment to the state's 2024 Affordable Homes Act, which she proposed and signed. The awards include $155 million in subsidy financing from EOHLC, $62 million in state low-income housing tax credits, $48 million in 4% federal low-income housing tax credits, and $13 million in 9% federal low-income housing tax credits. Four projects in Boston received funding, including Trinity Financial's 72-unit 150 Centre St. project in Dorchester and the preservation of 331 mixed-income units at Orchard Gardens in Nubian Square. Other recipient citie...

El Centro City Council Adopts 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan

El Centro City Council Adopts 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan

The El Centro City Council has unanimously approved and adopted its 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP). These plans are mandated by the California Urban Water Management Planning Act, requiring urban water suppliers to update their strategies every five years. The UWMP and WSCP outline the city's water supply and demand data, reliability analysis, and shortage response planning, extending the planning horizon to 2050. The core conclusion remains that El Centro's water supply, sourced from the Colorado River via the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), is projected to be 100 percent reliable under various conditions. Notable changes in the updated plans include lower population and demand growth projections, increased non-revenue water, a new state water loss standard, and the finalization of IID's Equitable Distribution Plan. The council also approved the Draft 2025-2026 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).

Goleta Planning Commission Approves 59-Unit Hollister Avenue Housing Project

Goleta Planning Commission Approves 59-Unit Hollister Avenue Housing Project

The Goleta Planning Commission has unanimously approved the vesting map, development plan, and design for a new 59-unit housing project located at 7360 Hollister Avenue. The project, proposed by City Ventures, involves demolishing four existing structures to construct 12 three-story modern farmhouse-style buildings. These solar all-electric townhomes will range from 1,292 to 1,628 square feet and include private garages and patios. The community will also feature amenities such as an event lawn, picnic and barbecue areas, and a garden. The project aims to provide first homes for future homeowners. The approval comes despite some concerns raised by commissioners and neighboring residents regarding building height, privacy, and noise from a nearby dog daycare facility. The project is subject to the Housing Accountability Act and State Density Bonus Law, which restricts the city's authority to deny or condition the project due to the inclusion of three very-low-income units.

Bipartisan REACH Our Tribes Act Introduced to Streamline Tribal Access to Federal Economic Development Programs

Bipartisan REACH Our Tribes Act Introduced to Streamline Tribal Access to Federal Economic Development Programs

U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids, D-Kan., and Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., have introduced the bipartisan REACH Our Tribes Act. This proposed legislation aims to simplify and improve tribal governments' access to federal economic development programs. The bill mandates the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a formal process for annual consultation with tribal governments regarding the department's budget requests and reauthorization of USDA programs, including farm bills. It also requires the USDA to develop a plan to analyze and publicly report the funding tribal entities receive through its programs. Furthermore, the act would create an interagency task force, comprising officials from the USDA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration, to identify ways to streamline application processes and reduce administrative burdens for tribal entities.

Government Explores Modular Construction to Address U.S. Affordable Housing Shortage

Government Explores Modular Construction to Address U.S. Affordable Housing Shortage

Governments at federal, state, and local levels are increasingly exploring modular construction as a key strategy to combat the persistent affordable housing shortage across the United States. This approach involves factory-built housing units that can significantly reduce construction timelines, improve production efficiency, and offer a wider range of housing options. The federal government supports affordable housing through funding for new developments, assistance programs, and financing initiatives, but recognizes the need to increase the overall supply of homes. State and local governments are updating zoning rules, encouraging accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and streamlining permit approvals to facilitate faster and more efficient housing construction, with modular housing fitting into these efforts.

Expiration of Subsidies Threatens U.S. Affordable Housing Stock, Report Warns

Expiration of Subsidies Threatens U.S. Affordable Housing Stock, Report Warns

A significant portion of affordable housing units in the United States is at risk as subsidies and affordability restrictions are set to expire, leading to a 'slow-motion erosion' of affordable homes. Nearly 329,000 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) homes, representing 12.3% of the tracked tax-credit stock, have affordability end dates between 2026 and 2030. Across all federally assisted housing programs, over 440,000 homes will reach a subsidy or restriction end date during this period. While an expiration doesn't automatically mean a loss of affordability, it creates a critical decision point where continued affordability must be renegotiated or re-financed. Rising interest rates, insurance, labor, and construction costs are making it increasingly difficult to recapitalize these aging properties, posing a significant challenge to preserving affordable housing.