Wed. Nov. 20 – 1-3pm ET: Free Fair Housing Training
| KHC has secured a Free Fair Housing Training from the Kentucky Fair Housing Council, which will be offered from 1–3 p.m. ET Wednesday, November 20, 2024. If you attended the Free Fair Housing Training offered by the Kentucky Fair Housing Council in April 2024, you do not need to attend this session. However, your agency may have new staff who need this training. KHC recommends updated Fair Housing Training every year for any staff person who works with clients and/or KHC programs. It is also an HCA Compliance requirement that staff have a formal Fair Housing Training no less than once every three years. Register for the Training |
From your Fahe Advocacy Team:
The election is over and the landscape for the next administration is slowly coming into focus. As of the 14th, the AP called that Republicans have retained their narrow majority in the House of Representatives, resulting in a unified government. This means new faces in both elected and appointed positions and new policy and funding priorities.
Over the next 3 months as appointments are made, legislation is introduced, and the budget process begins, we’ll be reaching out to help you navigate these shifts. You can expect:
- Support in crafting messaging that speaks to these new audiences.
- Information on which programs may be poised for cuts or increases – and how you can influence these decisions.
- Opportunities to meet with the new staff in the Administration and Congress.
To be well-positioned to have these important conversations at the Federal, State and Local levels, it’s important to have good relationships with these folks. Remember one of Advocacy’s golden rules: Don’t let your first contact with an elected office be when you’re facing a problem or asking for something.
To help streamline this effort, each Caucus has sent letters of congratulations on your behalf to all of the Federal and State election winners in our footprint. In addition, Jim has sent letters of congratulations from the entire network to all the Federal representatives in our footprint. We are on track to send WELL over 100 letters! Which is fantastic!
But, we know that local decisions are where the rubber meets the road. So we have a small request:
To help ensure we engage at the local level too (where your relationships are VITAL) we’ve drafted a basic letter of congratulations that you can modify for local leaders (new or returning!).
KY Local Election Congrats Template
You can use the template as formatted, make modifications (remove logos etc.), or copy and paste to your own letterhead. What matters is that you take a few minutes to personalize and send a note (email or snail mail!) to your local leaders. And, if possible, please tell your Fahe Advocacy Staff Member who you’ve reached out to! You can just shoot us a list, or cc us on emails. Whatever is easiest.
If you’re not sure where to find good addresses (email or snail) for local winners, please let us know.
And, if you’re feeling ambitious and you’d like to send something to your State and Federal Representatives, we can provide you with that template as well as the best addresses for those candidates/incumbents. Just reach out to your state point of contact, or Kylie Milliken (kmilliken@fahe.org).
As always, we’re here to talk if you have questions or concerns. Otherwise, we look forward to hearing who you’re connecting with and supporting you in this transition over the months to come.
2025 UPCOMING CAUCUS MEETING INFORMATION – coming in Dec.
FROM PREVIOUS CAUCUS MEETINGS:
- Thur., Nov. 7, 2024 Caucus Packet
- Tues., June 4, 2024 – CAUCUS PACKET
- Tues., Feb. 13, 2024 – Caucus Packet
- November 2, 2023– Packet
- June 6, 2023 – Packet
- February 15, 2023 Caucus Packet
KHC UPDATES
Invitation to Take Survey About Kentucky’s Consolidated Plan & Assessment of Fair Housing
The Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) and the Department of Local Government (DLG) invite you to provide input on community, housing, and social service needs to inform the use of the formula allocations received by Kentucky over the next five years. Impacted programs include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, Funds (HOME), the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG), the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Fund
(HOPWA). The information you provide will support the development of Kentucky’s Consolidated Plan and Assessment of Fair Housing. Complete the Survey
HOME/AHTF Single Family Production Application Dates & Reminders
| Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) will release the 2025 application round for HOME and Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) homebuyer and home repair awards Monday, November 18, 2024. The application guidelines, program policies, and required attachments for the 2025 round will be released on the Housing Contract Administration (HCA) Partner Agency Portal no later than 10 a.m. ET Monday, November 18, 2024. The round will feature applications for single-family development and home repair and will close at 11:59 p.m. ET January 17, 2025. Fees must be paid by 5 p.m. ET that day. Previous KHC awardees applying for 2025 funding will need to meet the updated threshold requirements for application submission: HB/HR20 – 100% expended by the January 10, 2025. HB/HR21 – 70% committed and 50% expended by January 10, 2025. HB/HR22 – 50% committed and 30% expended by January 10, 2025. HB/HR23 – One setup submitted to hcadev@kyhousing.org by January 10, 2025. |
DUE FRI. 11/22: Multifamily Housing Credit Carryover
| Owners of multifamily housing projects that received a conditional award of 2024 Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (Housing Credit) are reminded that the project must meet the carryover requirements in accordance with the 2023-2024 Multifamily Guidelines. Project owners must submit all Housing Credit carryover documentation on or before Friday, November 22, 2024, through the Universal Funding Application system. Projects that have not met the 10 percent costs incurred test may request an additional 12-month extension to meet this requirement. Once this documentation has been received and approved, KHC will issue a Certificate of Carryover Allocation. Owners of multifamily housing projects that received an award of Housing Credit in 2023 and received a preliminary Certificate of Carryover Allocation are reminded that in order to complete the carryover process, you must submit evidence of having incurred more than 10 percent of total project costs within 12 months from the date of your allocation. Failure to submit the 10 percent test within the required time frame will result in the loss of the credit allocation. This document must be emailed to both Shawn Dyer and Diane Beidleman by Friday, November 22, 2024. Late submissions of carryover documentation will result in the assessment of a $1,000 penalty fee which must be paid prior to receiving a Certificate of Carryover Allocation. If you have any questions regarding the carryover process, please email sdyer@kyhousing.org or dbeidleman@kyhousing.org or call toll-free in Kentucky at 800-633-8896 or 502-564-7630, extension 762 or 368, respectively. |
November HCA Compliance University Training Sessions – DUE DECEMBER 1
| HCA Compliance University expects to release training videos on a monthly basis for the foreseeable future. The following November training videos will soon be published to HCA’s official LearnUpon learning management system portal: Internal Controls & Financial Documentation 101 – This is a mandatory training for all HCA Partner Agencies. The intended audience is agency leadership, finance staff and program staff (anyone responsible for internal controls and documentation of grant expenses). This training is mandatory because of the many compliance issues seen over the last year. This video is approximately 25 minutes. Board Member Basic Education 101 – This is a mandatory training for all HCA Partner Agencies. The intended audience is agency leadership and the board of directors. This training will cover the required duties of board members governing a non-profit. This training is mandatory because of the many compliance issues seen over the last year. Agencies with board members who have not yet completed HCA 101 should watch these videos back-to-back to ensure compliance. This video is approximately 20 minutes. Partner Agencies are expected to complete these training videos no later than December 1, 2024. To access the trainings, login to LearnUpon. If you do not have a login for the LMS, or if you are having trouble logging in, see the instructions. Once logged in, navigate to the catalog to locate the training videos indicated above. To receive proper credit, agencies should not watch these videos logged in as a group; each person must login to the system under their own usernames and passwords. The LMS system will track and record participation with these requirements. Agencies may request a waiver from the mandatory board and agency leadership trainings by requesting a waiver through the draw management system and submitting evidence of other appropriate board / leadership training. |
DEADLINE – DEC. 9 – Rural Housing Trust Fund Application
| KHC will release the 2025 application round for Rural Housing Trust Fund (RHTF) Home Repair & Reconstruction and Single-Family Development projects December 9, 2024. The application guidelines, program policies, and required attachments will be released on the HCA Partner Agency Portal no later than 10 a.m. ET Monday, December 9, 2024. The RHTF round will close at 11:59 p.m. ET February 14, 2025. The application fee must be paid by 5 p.m. ET that day. Previous KHC awardees applying for 2025 funding will need to meet the threshold requirements for application submission: HB/HR20 – 100% expended by the February 7, 2025. HB/HR21 – 70% committed and 50% expended by February 7, 2025. HB/HR22 – 50% committed and 30% expended by February 7, 2025. HB/HR23/RH23 – One setup submitted to hcadev@kyhousing.org by February 7, 2025. |
KHC revised the General Conflict of Interest Statement form (HCA Form 300) on the HCA Partner Agency Portal under Compliance > Related Tools and Documents. This form will now work for clients, vendors/contractors, and landlords. We added language to include whether the client is related to the landlord or the vendor/contractor and whether the landlord or vendor is related to the client. If you have any questions related to potential conflicts of interest, please review the HCA Conflict of Interest Guidance Manual.
| KHC released a revised Weatherization Program Manual last week along with the following updated forms, which have been posted to the KHC website on the Subgrantee Resource page: Weatherization Client Completion Form WX0 Certification of Zero Income WX14 Contractor Project Agreement WX Rental Agreement |
NSPIRE Inspections Set to Begin October 1
Beginning October 1, 2024, the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) Multifamily Compliance staff and inspection team will begin using a new inspection protocol known as NSPIRE, which is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). All units with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), and any other funding source monitored by KHC will receive an NSPIRE inspection. All other inspection protocols will be obsolete. For any questions moving forward, please contact Aaron Watkins, manager of Multifamily Compliance, at awatkins@kyhousing.org or 502-564-7630, ext. 785.
For more information and trainings, click the following links:
HUD NSPIRE Training
KHC NSPIRE YouTube Training
Video recordings and presentations from the 2024 Kentucky Affordable Housing Conference (KAHC24) are now available. Check the #KAHC24 app or Attendee Hub web version to view the videos, handouts, and PowerPoints. For your convenience, we also pulled out a few recordings from the Housing Supply Gap Analysis track that may be of interest to you. Access Videos and Presentations
9/11/24 – UPDATED Findings of Kentucky Housing Supply Gap Analysis
| Phase II Findings of Housing Supply Gap Analysis Show Kentucky Will Need 287,000 More Housing Units by 2029 By 2029, Kentucky will need 287,120 more housing units to serve its projected population needs, according to the Kentucky Housing Supply Gap Analysis Phase II results, announced Tuesday in a webinar by Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) and Bowen National Research (Bowen). Phase II builds upon the current housing supply gap findings released in April 2024. It surveyed the projected housing needs of each Kentucky county through 2029 and also factored in issues that impact housing including commuting, employment and economic development, income, rental supply and the age of homes and buildings, and natural disasters. KHC and Bowen previewed the results in late August at the Kentucky Affordable Housing Conference to nearly 700 housing professionals in Louisville. In 2024, the current gaps are 206,207 overall units: 101,569 rental units 104,638 for-sale homes In 2029, the projected gaps are 287,120 overall units: 139,162 rental units 147,958 for-sale units The factors contributing to housing supply shortages over the next five years include renters who need more space (household growth) and those who cannot afford their homes (severely cost burdened), both of which can help shape affordable housing construction and decision-making in the next few years. Learn more at https://www.kyhousing.org/Data-Library/Housing-Gap-Analysis/Pages/default.aspx |
| The 2024 legislative session has finally ended. Be sure to visit the HHCK bill tracker to see how all the bills we were watching did at the conclusion of the 2024 session. As you know, we spent time advocating for and against several key bills this session. Now that the dust has settled and vetoes were written and subsequently overridden, we can share how everything finally shook out. First we’ll say one more time: THANK YOU for your help in working to make sure our neighbors needs are heard and prioritized. Thank you for sending emails, making phone calls and sharing information with neighbors. Here’s our final #KYGA24 update: |
OLDER ITEMS/FOR REFERENCE
| HOME/AHTF/RHTF Single Family Production Radon Policy Implementation Webinar Now Available on LMS KHC’s Single-Family Development Radon Policy webinar recorded May 13, 2024, is now available on the Learning Management System (LMS). This session dives into the new radon requirements and equips developers with tools to ensure compliance across all homebuyer activities. The policy is effective for HOME, Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), and Rural Housing Trust Fund (RHTF) homebuyer units. First time LMS users: please visit this link to register for access to the webinar. If you have already been enrolled in the KHC LearnUpon LMS system through our Kentucky Homeless Management Information System (KYHMIS) or KY Balance of State Continuum of Care (BoS CoC) side, please follow these steps: Login with existing credentials: Log in to the Single-Family side using the same credentials you have for the other LMS program. Use home portal credentials: If you have registered on a different LMS portal with Kentucky Housing, such as KYHMIS or the KY Balance of State COC, consider it your home portal. Use the same email address and password to register. If you registered on both, the one you registered with first is your “Home” site. After logging in, please email jshelton@kyhousing.org for access to the Single-Family Production courses. |
| HUD/KHC Policy Mandates Radon Consideration |
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| The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced its policy for addressing radon in the Environmental Review process with CPD Notice-23-103. Under this new policy, radon gas must be considered in the contamination and toxic substances analysis required under HUD’s contamination regulations at 24 CFR Part 50.3(i) and 58.5(i). The policy serves as an initial step toward advancing radon awareness and mitigation of the hazard in HUD-assisted housing. Effective April 11, 2024, Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) has adopted strategies to assist grantees with the necessary consideration of radon. Not all projects are subject to radon compliance, such as those HUD declares as exempt from Environmental Review per 24 CFR 58.34(a) and those categorically excluded not subject to the federal laws and authorities per 24 CFR 58.35(b). To ensure that all KHC-funded single family new construction units are radon mitigation ready, KHC’s Design and Construction Review division has updated their Minimum Design Standards to incorporate a radon reduction venting system for all units. It also provides guidance regarding the radon testing standards for multi-family buildings. It should be noted that addressing radon is considered a mitigating factor for the purposes of the environmental review process and should be considered as part of the project planning process as it will have impacts on both project budgets and timeframes. You can find KHC’s Radon Policy effective April 11, 2024 here. Please email Jen Oberlin with any questions. |
| We are thrilled to introduce our latest training, the “Single-Family Development Partner Training,” on Kentucky Housing Corporation’s (KHC) new Learning Management System (LMS). This training provides a deep dive into single-family housing production. Explore setup and closeout procedures for HOME and AHTF home buyer activities, learn the advantages of being a CHDO, and see best practices for home repair setup and closeouts. For first-time users, register directly for the Single-Family LMS using this link. If you’ve already been a part of our KHC LearnUpon LMS system through the Kentucky Homeless Management Information System (KYHMIS) or KY Balance of State Continuum of Care (BoS CoC), transitioning to the Single-Family side is a breeze. Login with Existing Credentials: Use your LearnUpon credentials to access the Single-Family side. Consider your initial registration on KYHMIS or KY BoS CoC as your home portal. Use the same email address and password to register for the Single-Family LMS. If you’ve registered on both, your “Home” site is the one you registered with first. Forgot Your Password: You must go to your original “Home” portal to reset your password. For KYHMIS: Reset Password For KY BoS CoC: Reset Password Portal Switcher for Seamless Navigation: Moving forward, it will not matter which link you use for log-in. Both portals will be displayed. Look for your profile icon (circle with your initials) on the top right of the screen. To the left of that icon is the portal switcher (triangle with a circle on the end of the points). Click it to effortlessly switch between KYHMIS, KY BoS CoC, and Single-Family LMS. Please direct any questions to Jessica Shelton at jshelton@kyhousing.org. |
| Change in AHTF Home Repair Program Photo Link Please use this link for all Home Repair Program initial photo submissions. Submit HR Initial Photos |
2/6/23 – USDA 3-D Print Building Presentation Materials
From Rachel Chambers: Thank you to our partners who joined us to hear from Professor Eric Wooldridge and his colleagues regarding their research around 3-D printing. I am sharing the slides from the presentation and other materials for your perusal. Unfortunately, we did not get a Teams recording that we could share of this presentation. However, I will drop his contact information in this email for any follow-up: Eric Wooldridge, PE, RA, MSE, Professor, Somerset Community College ~ Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence: Office Phone: 606-451-6878; email: eric.wooldridge@kctcs.edu ; website: www.somerset.kctcs.edu/3dprinting
