Staying Vigilant: Lessons from the Funding Freeze
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On Monday, January 27, the Trump Administration announced an immediate freeze on nearly all federal grants and loan payments with little notice or detail. The freeze was rescinded on Wednesday after an intense 48 hours of advocacy and legal action. Despite the outcry, the administration has since reiterated its intent to impound funding previously approved by Congress. Based on communication from top administration officials, we fully expect more attempts to circumvent Congress and prevent legally appropriated funds from reaching community development organizations and the people and places you serve.
In response to this week’s freeze, the Community Opportunity Alliance mobilized quickly. We connected community developers and association leaders to reporters. We created a real-time information-sharing process for our members and kept our network connected through our listservs. This rapid coordination helped our field navigate at a moment of great uncertainty. Our work isn’t done and neither is yours. Stay engaged with your members of Congress, stay informed, and be ready to act.
The National Council on Nonprofits is tracking Executive Orders affecting nonprofits. They are also cataloging the impacts of Executive Actions on Nonprofits. We encourage you to share your story about the impacts of the new executive actions on your work and the people you serve.
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Our Policy Priorities for the Tax Debate
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Discussion of a large package of tax bills is heating up in Congress. We are advocating for the enactment of two strongly-bipartisan bills that would increase the affordable housing supply. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would finance nearly two million additional affordable homes over the next ten years through Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA) would provide tax credits to close the appraisal gap, making it financially feasible to rehabilitate and build one- to four-unit homes in undervalued communities. These bills have the potential to increase affordable housing inventory for renters and entry-level homeowners. On February 6, our executive director and advocacy director will join other national advocates to lobby for NHIA on Capitol Hill.
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Elevating the Voices of Community Developers
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We’ve recruited a diverse group of community development leaders for our Community Development Voice initiative. They react to major current events impacting lower-income communities and the community development field. We share their reactions and insights with the press, policymakers, and other decision makers. See what our representatives had to say about President Trump’s inaugural address and rising insurance rates.We will continue to stay on top of trends in the field, amplifying the perspectives of local leaders at the national level.
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New HOME Program Rules Strengthens CHDOs
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On January 6, HUD released the final rule for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. We advocated for the following improvements for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), which were included in the new rule:
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Simplified funding access: CHDOs more easily qualify for federal set-aside funds, expediting affordable housing development.
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Improved staffing flexibility: CHDOs can use volunteers, board members, and partnerships. This flexibility will benefit smaller organizations – especially in rural areas.
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More operating dollars: HUD removed the regulatory barriers that have prevented significant operating dollars from flowing to CHDOs for the last decade.
On Monday, notice will be posted in the Federal Register that the rule is delayed until April 20. We will advocate with HUD to encourage the rule’s full adoption and implementation.
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HUD Seeks Public Comments on Insurance
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HUD issued a Request for Information on how best to assess measures to increase the resilience of residential properties to natural hazards and extreme weather. This information will allow HUD to develop policies that better support their program participants in increasing resilience to natural hazards, including extreme weather, and accessing affordable insurance for their properties. Comments are due by February 28.
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Grantmakers in the Arts Highlights Our Research
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Grantmakers In the Arts (GIA) published an article about art from our Storied Communities, Communities Stories report with ThirdSpace Action Lab. The article explores how arts and culture drive transformative change in community development, emphasizing the role of artists in resident engagement.
The artists and researchers invite us to delve into the ways that residents are thinking about dominant narratives and stories in our communities — and what it takes to resource our own, more accurate depictions. The five literary art pieces created as part of this research are included in the article.
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Lowe’s Will Invest $100 Million In 100 Hometowns
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Lowe’s Hometowns will select 100 large-scale community projects to restore and revitalize community spaces across the U.S. Chosen through consumer nominations, the projects may include community centers and services, safe affordable housing, first responder facilities, community revitalization projects, and skilled trades education initiatives. Submit nominations by February 18.
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Job Opportunities
View current job postings.
To post a job opportunity on our website, contact Kadasha Hershey at [email protected].
We request a $25 donation from non-members.
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