Housing

According to an analysis of 15 large lenders by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, \"African-Americans were nearly three times as likely as whites to take out higher-cost subprime mortgages in 2004,\" reported USA TODAY. The study is based on data that lenders recently began releasing to comply with new rules under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.

U.S. Reps. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.)introduced a Homeownership Credit bill that could help as many as 50,000 families a year achieve homeownership. This Act may be cited as the Renewing the Dream Tax Credit Act. <br> Bill Abstract: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an income tax credit for the provision of homeownership and community development, and for other purposes.

Administration Proposed Voucher Reform Bill<br> Senator Wayne Allard has introduces a new Senate Bill for Administration-Proposed Voucher Reform. Bill Abstract: To better assist low-income families to obtain decent, safe, and affordable housing as a means of increasing their economic and personal wellbeing through the conversion of the existing section 8 housing choice voucher program into a flexible voucher program, and for other purposes.

The Formative Evaluation of the Real Choice Systems Change Grants evaluates how the Systems Change grantees are progressing towards meeting their goals. The Formative Evaluation identifies problems faced by the grantees and ways that they deal with the problems. This document provides summary information about each of the FY2004 Grantees.

The March 2005 Essentials of Housing Teleconference focused homeownership. Jean Langendorf of the United Cerebral Palsy - Texas, and Martha Younger-White of the Illinois Department of Human Services were the Guest Resource Persons available to participants.

The Essentials of Housing February 2005 Teleconference was a forum for participants to discuss the five percent rule as it relates to accessible housing, as well as the new HUD Guidelines and the proposed 2006 national budget.

The Essentials of Housing January 2005 Teleconference focused on affordable housing. Carla Pope from the Iowa Finance Authority gave a presentation on the difference funding sources mixed to make affordable housing work in Iowa. Participants were able to engage in lively discussion after the presentation.

The Essentials of Housing Teleconference in November 2004 was a discussion forum for participants during which they discussed how their grant projects were related to housing issues. The Guest Resource Person on this call was Lynn Lippitt from the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.

The October 2004 Essentials of Housing Teleconference focused on housing vouchers with Guest Resource Persons, Karen Avery and Brian Peters of Independence First in Wisconsin, available on the call to answer participant questions.

This was the first Essentials of Housing Teleconference in a continuing series. Meeting summary includes participant introductions and suggestions for future call topics.