Earlier this month, NACCED held its 49^th Annual Educational Conference and Training in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. Local government community development professionals from across the country gathered for three days of education and networking at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Hotel.

Before the conference began, first time attendees enjoyed meeting each other and NACCED’s Board of Directors during a coffee reception. There, first-timers were led in discussion by Board members, learning more about the conference, as well as opportunities for year-round involvement in NACCED. That evening, attendees enjoyed an educational tour of economic development projects along the famous Route 66. The tour concluded at the Gathering Place, Tulsa’s renowned world-class park where a sunset welcome reception was enjoyed.

When #NACCED24 officially began on Tuesday, September 17, members received a welcome from NACCED President Linda Jenkins (Los Angeles County, CA) and Claudia Brierre with Tulsa County, OK. Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee followed with an address to the audience on county investments in community and economic growth initiatives. The program continued with a briefing welcoming Washington, DC U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials sponsored by Neighborly Software. Attendees were greeted by a video from Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman followed by remarks from Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for Community Planning and Development Marion McFadden, Office of Block Grant Assistance Entitlement Communities Division Director James Höemann and Office of Affordable Housing Programs Deputy Director Peter Huber.

The morning continued with a presentation sponsored by the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG), featuring Jonathan Butler, Senior Vice President of Community Development with Partner Tulsa and Rose Washington – Jones, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of TEDC Creative Capital. Butler and Washington – Jones spoke on the Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood Master Plan and the Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton (GEM) project.

After attendees enjoyed seeing downtown Tulsa during lunchtime, the conference resumed with breakout sessions including Let’s Talk HOME-ARP: A Facilitated Peer-to-Peer Discussion; Economic Impacts of Route 66; and Preparedness for Managing Disaster Recovery Funds. Afterwards, the conference resumed its annual tradition of “Passport to Win,” a special break where attendees got to meet exhibitors and be entered to win a variety of prizes. The afternoon’s breakout sessions continued with Strategies for Growth in a Continuum of Care - Tulsa’s Story; Closing the Digital Divide; and Managing Administrative Costs, Policies and Procedures.

The first day of the conference concluded with the always-popular John C. Murphy Scholarship Fund reception and silent auction, sponsored by ZoomGrants. This year’s reception incorporated a 50^th anniversary celebration of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program which included 1974-themed décor and sheet cake. Attendees enjoyed food and drinks while socializing and bid on great items of interest from around the country. The silent auction raised $1,000 toward the scholarship fund.

On Wednesday, September 18, the conference kicked off with two general sessions. First, NACCED members participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Cloudburst Group titled BABA Bewildered: A Briefing and Peer Discussion. Following the opening session, attendees received a Washington Update from NACCED and National Association of Counties staff focused on current federal government budget deadlines, upcoming elections, and final HUD rulemaking impacts.

The morning’s breakout sessions included HUD’s New CDBG Urban County Qualification Notice...and Beyond; Tulsa Regional Build Back Better; and Davis-Bacon Act Overview and Final Rule Compliance.

Wednesday afternoon began with the association’s annual Awards Luncheon and Business Meeting sponsored by Dominium which included a keynote address from Enterprise Community Partners CEO and President Shaun Donovan.

Donovan used his remarks to envision not only the past successes of CDBG, but also a look forward to the next five decades of community development by discussing the current housing crisis and the opportunities that lie ahead. Donovan addressed key challenges within the housing system, while presenting a vision for building a broader coalition of allies and advocates within housing. Speaking to his previous roles as HUD Secretary and U.S. Office of Management and Budget Director, Donovan shared ideas with members on how to continue best practices for continued housing, community and economic development success at the local level.

During the Awards portion of the event, Tulsa County was honored for their work as conference hosts. Additionally, five NACCED members won Awards of Excellence in a variety of categories related to housing, community development, homeless coordination/assistance, and program management. Winners included DuPage County, IL; Fairfax County, VA; Henrico County, VA; Shelby County, TN; and Westchester County, NY. To see the full descriptive list of awardees click here.

Each year at the Annual Business Meeting, NACCED’s election of leadership occurs. This year, outgoing President Linda Jenkins thanked attendees for the opportunity to serve and outlined her successful year leading the association’s priorities around membership and education.

Past President Tonja West-Hafner (Anoka County, MN), Chair of the Nominating Committee, thanked Joe Riddle (Pinellas County, FL) for his two-year term of service. She then announced that David Sacks (Henrico County, VA) had been nominated to the presidency, Jennifer Daniels (Arlington County, VA), to the role of Vice-President, and Joe Riddle to Secretary/Treasurer. Additionally, Josh Beck (Kane County, IL), Sylvia Parham (Cook County, IL) and Dana Sjostrom (Shelby County, TN) were nominated to serve second two-year terms on the Board at-large. Former NACCED Community Development Committee Chair Geleene Goffena (Henrico County, VA) was nominated to serve a two-year term.

Newly elected president David Sacks gave his remarks, looking forward to the year ahead and expected work with NACCED leadership to continue the association’s leading role in local county government partnerships. After calling out the winners of the Passport to win, 2025 conference host Jamie Macfarlane took the podium to share information about next year’s conference, to be held September 8-11 in Maricopa County, Arizona.

A special conference session titled Effective Succession Requires Planning was hosted by ICF to round out afternoon programming. Members utilized this time to have a robust discussion with peers and session leads on how to successfully manage succession within county leadership and recruiting/retention best practices.

On Wednesday evening, attendees joined together for a conference-wide closing event at the Woody Guthrie Center and the Bob Dylan Center, located in the heart of the downtown Tulsa Arts District sponsored by Tulsa County Industrial Authority. Members enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and took the opportunity to explore collections celebrating the legacies of these musical pioneers. NACCED is grateful to the Tulsa County team for their effort, expertise and creativeness put into this year’s program.

Thursday morning, September 19, closed the conference with the annual tour of local housing and community development projects. Attendees stopped by three locations: Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton (GEM), a historic hospital in the process of being transformed into an Economic Development Administration-funded innovation center; Whittier Townhomes, an affordable housing project developed by Boomtown Development Company, a 501(c)(3) supporting affiliate of Tulsa Habitat for Humanity; and the Oklahoma State University LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility drone development lab.

NACCED is grateful to all sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, members, and attendees that made this historic event possible. We look forward to seeing everyone in Maricopa County next year!

NACCED welcomed members to its 2024 Legislative Conference from February 8 – 11 in Washington, D.C. NACCED’s Legislative Conference gives members an opportunity each year to advocate on the association’s top legislative and regulatory priorities, hear from industry leaders on areas of focus and collaborate with fellow county officials on policy initiatives. Members also use the event to further strengthen NACCED’s partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and its leadership through the NACo Legislative Conference.

On Thursday, February 8 NACCED members attended in-person meetings with Capitol Hill staff from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Policy areas discussed by members with staff included increased federal appropriations for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the HOME Partnerships (HOME) program. Also supported was the HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act , which was introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) last month. View the materials NACCED members used during their visits, which you can also utilize in your own conversations with Congressional offices: CDBG one-pager, HOME one-pager .

Thursday concluded with a Capitol Hill briefing hosted by NACCED and NACo, sponsored by Neighborly Software in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of CDBG. Held in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building, the briefing gave congressional staff an opportunity to 

hear about the history, impact and innovation of CDBG. Briefing panel participants included Linda Jenkins, NACCED President and Director of Community Development for Los Angeles County, CA; Mary Keating, NACCED Representative to NACo  and Director of Community Services for DuPage County, IL; and Johnny Olszewski, Executive for Baltimore County, MD. Neighborly Software President Jason Rusnak moderated the panel. Preview the full year of planned activities, as well as ideas to implement in your own communities, in the CDBG Coalition’s CDBG 50^th Anniversary toolkit here .

On Friday, February 9 NACCED welcomed members both in-person and virtually for its second day of conference programming. Richard Pierce , the Lyle T. Alverson Professor of Law at George Washington University School of Law, began the day with a discussion on recent and upcoming Supreme Court rulings that will potentially curb the power of the federal administrative and regulatory agencies, and how that may impact grant-funded programs at the local level, starting with the 2023 case that ended affirmative action. View the recording of that lively presentation and Q&A here .

Following Professor Pierce was Peter Lawrence , Director of Public Policy & Governmental Relations for Novogradac. Peter presented a deep dive discussion on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act , the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act ; impacts of the upcoming expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act ; the Workforce Housing Tax Credit Act ; the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act; and the Rural Jobs Act. View the recording of that informative presentation here and Peter’s slides here .

Concluding the day’s morning conference session was a Washington Update presented by NACCED Policy Director Josh Brandwein and Mike Matthews , NACo Legislative Director for Community, Workforce and Economic Development. Josh and Mike provided members with an update on NACCED Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and 2025 requests and additional legislative updates for the 118^th Congress. Regulatory topics covered the current status of last year’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing proposed rule ; HUD’s recent proposed rule for CDBG program changes; and expected rulemaking on HOME. Rounding out the presentation was a lookahead to 2024 national election cycle ramifications on NACCED legislative and regulatory priorities. Watch the recording of that presentation here and download slides here.

Friday’s afternoon guest speakers began with Claudia Monterrosa , HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Grant Programs. Claudia announced HUD’s CDBG 50^th Anniversary kickoff will be held later in March with official branding and program toolkits available for use throughout the year. CDBG is an integral part of the Biden Administration’s Housing Supply Action Plan to combat lack of affordable housing and homelessness.

Claudia also provided members with an update on HUD’s CDBG-Disaster Recovery (DR) program, of which $99 billion has been appropriated by Congress overall. HOME – American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding deployment continues to be an agency priority and HUD maintains its support for Section 108 loans , manufactured housing and rural housing assistance. View the recording of DAS Monterrosa’s presentation here.

Following was a presentation from Kimberly Nash, Acting Director of HUD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance (OBGA) and Duncan Yetman, Deputy Director for OBGA. OBGA provided updates on the $85 million Pathways to Removing Obstacles for Housing competition; the $225 million PRICE competition; guidance on submitting Consolidated Plans and Annual Action Plans for FY 2024; guidance on use of CDBG funds in support of housing; CDBG CARES Act (CV) clinic sessions ; and a reminder regarding FY17 expiring funds.

OBGA explained HUD’s intentions with its proposed rule on CDBG program improvements. HUD aims to bolster CDBG economic development capabilities; provide additional methods for consolidated plan public accessibility; improve timeliness expectations for construction projects; improve data collection measures; and remove outdated provisions within the program. HUD will be hosting virtual listening sessions regarding the proposed rule from 11:00am – 12:00pm eastern Tuesday, February 20 and from 1:30pm – 2:20pm eastern Thursday, February 28 . View Duncan and Kim’s presentation here and download slides here .

Concluding the afternoon sessions were remarks from Ginny Sardone, 

Director of the Office of Affordable Housing Programs (OAHP) and Peter Huber, Deputy Director of OAHP. OAHP is in the process of developing a proposed rule for HOME which seeks to modernize and streamline 

HOME for Community Housing Development Organizations, property standards, rents and Community Land Trusts. OAHP reminded members of final rules published 

last year on both the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) and the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). OAHP wrapped their session with HOME-ARP, HOME and Housing Trust Fund program status updates. Watch Ginny and Peter’s presentation here and view their slides here.

On Saturday, February 10 NACCED members attended the NACo Community, Economic & Workforce Development (CEWD) Steering Committee Meeting. CEWD kicked its meeting off with a welcome from committee chair, Clackamas County, OR Commissioner Martha

 Schrader. Following Commissioner Schrader was a HUD update from DAS Monterrosa covering topics from her meeting with NACCED the day prior. Next was a presentation from Joaquin Altoro, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service. Administrator Altoro addressed lack of federal funding for rural housing unit development, specifically USDA’s underfunded Section 515 program.

Next was a panel discussion on place-based policy making. Participants were Brian Cummings , Bucks County, PA Director of Economic and Workforce Development; Craig Buerstatte , DAS for Regional Affairs with the Economic Development Administration (EDA); Taylor Maag , Director of Workforce Development Policy with the Progressive Policy Institute; and Mirielle Burgoyne , Deputy Executive Director for the National Association of Development Organizations.

Panelists provided an overview of EDA funding from the CHIPS and Science Act . Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) have increased workforce development and investment into community infrastructure. EDA program success has decreased community socioeconomic divisions through providing more opportunities for work in historically underserved regions through technology development and manufacturing jobs. State-level coordination of EDA CHIPS funding has resulted in individual skill development; successful public-private partnerships for technology focused jobs; and business development. Additionally, areas with previously recorded low secondary education rates have seen an increase in student achievement due to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning.

Following the panel was Patrick Carey , Assistant Commissioner for Current Employment Analysis with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Patrick discussed U.S. wage earning trends and concerns with current rates of inflation. BLS further monitors state employment; civilian unemployment rates; labor force participation rates; and health care assistance. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market are still being tracked in BLS reporting as the U.S. economy adjusts from 2020.

Atissa Ladjevardian, Acting Director of External and Government Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Office provided additional remarks. The CHIPS and Science Act provided $280 billion in federal funding for technology development; however, further research and development (R&D) funding for CHIPS will ensure tech jobs stay domestic. On February 9 the White House announced over $5 billion in expected investment in the CHIPS R&D program, including the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), and the establishment of a public-private consortium for the NSTC. NIST has created the CHIPS for America program to increase semiconductor chip processing centers and provide additional workforce development opportunities.

The CEWD business meeting concluded Saturday’s session with interim policy resolution voting. Mary Keating presented two resolutions drafted for committee consideration: FY25 appropriation requests and urging congressional action to pass HOME reauthorization legislation to allow for increased federal funding assistance to support affordable housing development. Both interim resolutions passed unanimously.

On Sunday, February 11 NACCED members attended the NACo Large Urban Caucus (LUCC) meeting. County Executive David Crowley of Milwaukee County, WI began the meeting with a call to order. HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianna Todman provided keynote remarks on federal and local partnerships for urban innovations in housing affordability. HUD continues to invest in rental assistance and prioritizes keeping tenants housed as part of the Biden Administration’s Housing Action Plan. Deputy Secretary Todman stated HUD continues in its homelessness reduction efforts; places a strong emphasis on both CDBG and HOME resources; and is focused on increasing the rate of first-time homebuyers through the reduction of mortgage insurance premiums.

Following was a panel discussion on innovation and policy strategies for affordable housing. Harris County, TX Commissioner Adrian Garcia moderated a conversation with Dr. Luisa Godinez-Puig , Senior Research Associate for the Urban Institute; Nicholas Merriam, Vice President of Strategy & Operations for Housing Connector; and Mike Singer, North American Policy Director for Airbnb.

The Urban Institute has created a Housing Justice Framework as part of its Housing Justice Hub to ensure affordable housing and decrease racial discrimination that leads to housing insecurity. By providing housing justice resources the Urban Institute aims to reform land-use policy, decrease systems of oppression and guarantee housing as a right. Housing Connector is focused on increasing housing opportunities with a specific focus on those currently unhoused. Underutilization of housing vouchers has led to affordability barriers even when many rental units remain vacant. By establishing cross-sector partnerships Housing Connector has aided housing attainment. Airbnb continues to advocate for short-term rental regulation. Airbnb provides best practices to assist local policymakers in formulating equitable and well-balanced regulations for short-term rentals covering areas such as registration, transient occupancy taxes, trust and safety measures, and data sharing.

Following the panel Los Angeles County, CA Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra . Secretary Becerra spoke to federal government efforts to increase local crises response. HHS prioritizes housing funding to those suffering from homelessness. Being housed leads to increased behavioral health and is supported by HHS’s programs for populations in need.

Gwinnett County, GA Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson introduced the committee’s final speaker, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Legislative Affairs, Andi Lipstein Fristedt . Deputy Director Fristedt highlighted CDC programs aimed at assisting youth mental health services and strategies for suicide prevention. CDC has provided federal resources for school programs to focus on mental health such as the Mental Health Action Guide for School and District Leaders ; the CDC Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program; and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Resource.

For further reference, recordings and slide decks from Friday’s presentations are available on NACCED’s website here .

NACCED looks forward to joining NACo at their annual meeting this July in Hillsborough County (Tampa, FL).

It’s finally happened: the long-awaited final ruling regarding updates to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) is official. If you’ve been following recent developments in public works construction, chances are you’ve heard the buzz surrounding the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and their recent announcement of the most significant updates to DBRA in nearly four decades. With these changes just having taken effect on October 23, 2023, it's an opportune time for public agencies to review and reassess their existing methods for overseeing labor compliance on construction projects.

More and more public agencies are opting to harness the power of electronic solutions for compliance management rather than squandering valuable time and resources that could be far more effectively employed elsewhere. Consider this: we rely on electronic devices and applications for nearly every facet of our lives, so why should compliance be the exception?

Need more reasons to jump on the digital bandwagon? Let’s thoroughly explore the benefits of electronic solutions, namely software applications accessed through the web (also known as web-based applications), as they provide robust functionalities and yield tremendous benefits for public agencies.

The Merits of a Web-Based Labor Compliance Solution

1. It handles all the monotonous work for you

   For public agencies, the task of collecting and reviewing [SA1]certified payroll reports (CPRs) is a significant administrative burden. This can quickly evolve into a series of exceedingly labor-intensive tasks, particularly when CPRs are submitted in a hardcopy format and then reviewed manually. It wouldn’t come as a surprise that some administrators might only assess a portion of the submissions they receive due to lack of bandwidth.

   A comprehensive and robust web-based application can bring project owners and contractors together on a single platform, helping ensure that compliance tasks are aligned and the entire process is made more efficient. No need for software downloads – just an internet connection and a web browser, and you’re good to go. Additionally, it significantly reduces the issue of silos. Agencies take on the role of administrators for the application and simply provide contractors with system access. Permissions can be customized, and CPRs can be submitted by contractors directly within the system. Administrators can then depend on the application to run validation checks on CPRs instead of the labor-intensive manual review process (further details in the upcoming section).

2. It points out red flags and saves you from a game of phone tag

   During the manual review of CPRs, administrators typically keep an eye out for potential problems or ‘red flags’. When they come across a discrepancy, they pick up the phone (or draft an email) to the contractor, which more often than not turns into a game of “phone tag”.

   Most web-based applications now come standard with system validation checks, a series of mathematical and logical assessments, that identify errors or omissions in CPRs. If the system picks up a mistake or discrepancy, the contractor will be promptly notified and required to correct it before submitting. But it doesn’t stop there – in cases where the public agency notices something unusual or requires additional information or clarification, direct communication can occur within the system between the administrator and the contractor. Consequently, the contractor can promptly make the required revisions and resubmit the CPR, resulting in a significantly more efficient process and avoiding a long, back-and-forth exchange altogether.

3. It creates CPRs quickly and then stores them for you

   Another notable advantage of a web-based labor compliance solution is its ability to facilitate the creation of digital records that are not only easy for contractors to create, but also efficient for agencies to store (and later retrieve). For instance, CPRs can be generated by importing or uploading data from the contractor’s existing payroll system, drastically reducing the need for double entry. These documents are then digitally archived and can be easily accessed in various file formats whenever necessary. In the event of an audit, access can be granted to third parties and permissions can be customized so they only have access to pertinent records. Moreover, if you require redacted versions for responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, it’s essential to choose a solution that offers this capability to avoid the time-consuming task of manual redaction.

4. It makes reviewing responses from field wage interviews a breeze

   One of the responsibilities of public agencies on Davis-Bacon projects is conducting labor standard interviews (also known as wage interviews out in the field). A proficient solution provider can offer substantial benefits in this regard, particularly when it offers a tool that can seamlessly integrate with a labor compliance application.

   Picture an investigator or some other compliance professional on the jobsite ready to conduct his or her interviews. However, instead of a clipboard with a hardcopy SF-1446 form, he or she is equipped with an electronic tablet and a digital version of the interview form hosted within a mobile app. This individual carries on with the interviews, gathering information from workers about their roles and compensation, and enters the responses directly into the app. The best part about this arrangement is the app is already synchronized with the primary labor compliance system, reducing the need for manual cross-referencing of interview data with CPR submissions for those workers. The application automatically performs this task, flagging any discrepancies that might lead to violations.

5. It gives better insights into your hiring goals and workforce programs

Some agencies integrate workforce hiring objectives into their labor compliance programs with the aim of fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices to support their local communities. To gauge the success of their initiatives, agencies can leverage reports to analyze a wide array of workforce and local business data. By utilizing a comprehensive labor compliance solution that captures worker demographics, location data, and other related information, they can easily gain insights into their efforts with just a few clicks and make data-driven decisions to enhance their workforce or local hire program.

Parting Ways with Pen and Paper

Ready to take the leap and abandon your stacks of hardcopy CPRs and rows of filing cabinets? When evaluating options, look out for applications that can support the benefits described above. One system worth considering is LCPtracker Professional, a web-based application that helps public agencies enforce labor compliance and track the impact of workforce programs.

Making that transition from pen and paper to an electronic system may seem daunting at first. However, once you’ve committed, buckled up, and settled in, you’ll come to realize – just like many other public agencies – that these systems truly do help reduce administrative burden, increase productivity, and achieve a more thorough level of compliance.

These materials are being issued with the understanding that LCPtracker is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services and is providing these for informational purposes only. If legal, accounting, or tax expert assistance is required, the services of a competent legal, accounting or tax professional should be sought.

NACCED members heard presentations from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials during the 48th Annual Educational Conference and Training in Salt Lake County, UT on September 19. Duncan Yetman, Deputy Director of the Entitlement Communities Division for HUD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance (OBGA), opened the briefing.

Deputy Director Yetman’s presentation covered a range of updates on OBGA programs, starting with COVID-era relief funds. He reported that on April 18 of this year, HUD lifted the requirement that 80 percent of a Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) grant must be expended within three years of grant agreement execution. HUD’s intent with this action is to alleviate expenditure delays directly suffered by grantees caused by the pandemic. HUD found that more than a third of the over 1,200 CDBG–CV grantees faced major supply chain issues for construction materials, prolonged business quarantine shutdowns and a decrease in workforce areas because of the pandemic.

The National Virtual CARES Act Conference was held from May 22-25 to offer solutions for CDBG-CV expenditure. Session materials have been posted to the HUD Exchange CARES Act Conference webpage along with content from previous years’ iterations. Additionally, virtual CDBG-CV problem solving clinics have been held monthly to aid grantees with timely expenditure of funds and will continue to be offered in 2024 along with in-person clinics.

He further reported that fiscal Year (FY) 2016 CDBG closed out on September 30. Of note was even though the percentage of urban counties with FY 16 funds still on hand exceeds the national average, as of September 11, only a handful of urban counties had more than $150,000 in 2016 funds to spend. The median amount left to spend for the 29 urban counties with funds on hand was less than $41,000.

Other priority highlights included the newly announced Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO) Competition which provides $85 million to support the removal of barriers to affordable housing production. County and city governments are eligible to apply for PRO until the October 30 deadline. A new Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) competition will receive $225 million to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing and eligible manufactured housing communities. A Notice of Funding Opportunity for PRICE is set to be released by the end of the year. Two landmark moments were also celebrated with the announcements of the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program passing $10 billion in approved projects and a tee up for CDBG’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2024.

Virginia Sardone, Director for the Office of Affordable Housing Programs (OAHP) followed with additional regulatory updates. HUD is expected to release rulemaking for the Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) later this year in an effort to support the White House Housing Supply Action Plan which aims to update and strengthen HOME. Included will be revised guidance for participating Community Housing Development Organizations, HOME Rents, Community Land Trusts and property standards. HUD has also worked closely in the past year with the office of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) on crafting HOME rulemaking to coincide with a statutory reauthorization. NACCED is an active member in the HOME Coalition and is engaged in efforts with our industry partners to pass reauthorization legislation in the 118th Congress.

HUD’s HOME American Rescue Plan (ARP) program continues to be a success with 606 of 643 HOME-ARP plans accepted. HUD plans for 20 upcoming HOME-ARP Technical Assistance (TA) implementation clinics for grantee support which will begin on October 17 from 2:30pm-4:00pm eastern. Up to 43 in-person clinics will be available additionally. Written HOME-ARP TA products set to be released includes non-congregate shelter considerations, property standards, qualifying populations eligibility documentation, tenant based rental assistance sponsor checklists, capacity assessments for community development executives and program content purposed for elected officials. Questions on HOME-ARP are also currently being accepted via email at HOMEARP@hud.gov.

FY 2015 HOME funds are expected to expire on September 30. As of September 15, 1.1% of FY 15 funding remains unspent. Assistance with expiring HOME funds has been provided throughout the year by HUD. An expiring funds report is issued by HUD regularly and a webinar for participating jurisdictions (PJs) facing difficulties with disbursement was held on May 24. Additionally, one-on-one help has been provided by HUD for PJs to aid with fund expenditure.

On May 11, HUD published a final rule on the implementation of National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). HUD’s final rule includes an increase in the number of applicable programs defined as “HUD Housing”, redefines multiple habitat safety standards and reduces the categories of inspectable areas from five to three. OAHP will publish a further notice outlining how NSPIRE applies to HOME and HTF for program commitments made on or after October 1.

On February 14, HUD published a final rule on the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) with an effective date of January 1, 2024 and a compliance date of January 1, 2025. The rule revises income regulations, streamlines and aligns administrative processes in HUD rental programs and targets resources to those most in need. Conforming regulations for HOME, HOME-ARP and National Housing Trust Fund participants were also provided in the final rule to reduce administrative burden.

NACCED thanks our colleagues at HUD for their expertise and we look forward to continuing our partnership. Presentations will shortly be available on NACCED’s website. For additional information on any of these updates, contact NACCED Policy Director Josh Brandwein at jbrandwein@nacced.org.

Last week, NACCED’s Nominating Committee met to select the slate of candidates to serve a term on the NACCED Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In accordance with Article IV, Section 7 of the NACCED By-Laws, we are pleased to transmit the report of the Nominating Committee recommending individuals for election as Directors and Officers.

After consideration of a variety of factors including geography, large county/small county, male/female and minority representation we hereby nominate the following:

To serve a 2-year term ending in 2025

- Marcos Ysmael, Pima County, AZ (second full term)

- Nicole Andersen, Orange County, NY (first term)

- Julie Hamlin, DuPage County, IL (full term) 

- Paul Herdeg, Cuyahoga County, OH (first term)

Officers to serve a 1-year term ending in 2024

- President: Linda Jenkins, Los Angeles County, CA

- Vice-President: David Sacks, Henrico County, VA

- Secretary/Treasurer: Jennifer Daniels, Arlington County, VA

- NACCED Representative to the NACo Board: Mary Keating, DuPage County, IL

- Immediate Past President: Tonja West-Hafner, Hennepin County, MN

Comprising the remaining balance of the Board are

- Josh Beck, Kane County, IL

- Sylvia Parham, Cook County, IL

- Joe Riddle, Pinellas County, FL 

- Dana Sjostrom, Shelby County, TN

The Committee also acknowledges and thanks Susan Au, Tarrant County, TX and Crystal LaTier, El Paso County, CO, who will have completed two terms on the Board as of September 2023.

NACCED members will have the opportunity to vote for these candidates at the Awards Luncheon and Business Meeting on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 during the NACCED Annual Conference. One member per county is eligible to vote. The Nominating Committee consisted of Jim Johnston (Allegheny County, PA), Chair; Josh Beck (Kane County, IL), Dana Sjostrom (Shelby County, TN), and Terry Dukes (Nassau County, NY).