Proposed Rule – Agency Request for Comment
Revisions to the Smoke Alarm Requirements in the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and Section 514-516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan Programs
Washington, Feb. 21, 2024 – The Rural Housing Service (RHS) Office of Multifamily Housing (MFH) published a proposed rule on Monday, January 8, 2024 (Federal Register Vol. 89 No. 5) to amend the current regulation for smoke alarm requirements in MFH properties.
On December 29, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden Jr signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 “Act”. This new law requires each unit of federally assisted housing to contain hardwired or 10-year non-rechargeable, sealed, tamper-resistant battery-powered smoke alarm devices. Amending the smoke alarm standards will aligh MFH with the requirements of the Act.
Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before March 8, 2024 and may be submitted by the Federal eRulemaking Portal as outlined in the Federal Register Proposed Rule
Set-aside unit preferences at Multifamily Housing properties
Washington, Feb. 21, 2024 – Rural Housing Service is pleased to announce guidance on set-aside preferences at properties with other funding sources for Multifamily Housing (MFH) properties considering recapitalization and rehabilitation of the aging affordable Rural Development MFH portfolio.
The Agency acknowledges that recapitalization and rehabilitation often requires third party funding sources. To receive consideration for these funding sources, owners must often commit to setting aside a small number of units with a preference for a certain population, e.g., residents with disabilities or residents coming from homelessness. As such, owners and management agents may include set-aside or preference units for specific populations in their occupancy policy and management plan. All remaining provisions and procedures contained in Chapter 6 of HB 2-3560 remain unchanged.
If you have questions pertaining to the status of an application, please contact the appropriate MFH, Production and Preservation Division, Processing and Report Review Branch:
- Northeast and Midwest Regions MFHprocessing1@usda.gov
- South and West Regions MFHprocessing2@usda.gov.
Fiscal Year 2023 Multifamily Housing (MFH) Annual Occupancy Report
Washington, Feb. 22, 2024 – The Rural Housing Service is pleased to announce the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Annual Occupancy Report. The report provides the annual statistical data regarding the characteristics of occupancy in Section 515 Rural Rental Housing (RRH) and Section 514 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) properties.
The report includes FY 2023 data related to:
- Average adjusted household incomes
- Household & vacant unit sizes
- Income level percentage
- Elderly and disabled/handicapped status
- National origin/race status
- Household members & gender percentage
- Average rental assistance income
- Tenant subsidies
- Overburdened tenants
- Average rents & utility allowances
To view the complete FY2023 report, please visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/media/20292/download.