The Washingtom Post today reported on preparations for Hurricane Alex by residents on South Padre Island, Texas… Jerry Wilson, 50, also didn’t think much of Alex, though he struggled in the fierce gusts to hoist a cloth-tipped pole to clean high-mounted cameras across the island that will let Internet viewers watch Alex’s arrival live online. “We [...]
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Archive | June, 2010
Texas failing to spend federal funds for foreclosure-impacted communities
June 30, 2010
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New report finds that millions are at risk of being returned to the federal government Austin, TX – Texas may be forced to return an estimated $42 million in unspent federal funds meant to stabilize foreclosure-impacted communities, unless state and local agencies begin properly utilizing the funds, according to a report released today by the [...]
Read moreUSDA Rural Housing Service in Texas: Progress and Potential
June 19, 2010
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Last winter TXLIHIS released “USDA Rural Housing Service in Texas: Turning Away from the Poor,” a report detailing how in 2009 Texas failed to take advantage of over $14 million in subsidized low-income mortgage loans. These loans are allocated to the state by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service under the [...]
Read moreBo McCarver’s weekly news compilation – 6/8/2010
June 14, 2010
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Tuesday Report, June 8, 2010 Special to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service Class wars abound in Texas cities: San Antonio begins to press its homeless population out of downtown while razing older homes under capricious judgments of city inspectors. Meanwhile, Dallas contemplates bulldozing homes in its historic districts if they don’t pass muster [...]
Read more74% of those with “worst case housing need” have extremely low incomes according to HUD report
June 14, 2010
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HUD has published it’s latest assessment of the households that have a “Worst Case Housing Need”. The key findings are: 93% (5.48 million) experienced severe rent burden; 73% (4.33 million) had extremely low incomes; 37% (2.19 million) had at least one child under 18. Nearly half of these were working the equivalent of full-time and [...]
Read moreNew York Times praises State of Texas/TxLIHIS disaster recovery settlement
June 14, 2010
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The New York Times published this editorial Monday about our settlement with the State of Texas. Editorial HUD Steps Up in Texas Published: June 13, 2010 Washington too often looks the other way as state governments rob low-income victims of their fair share of federal disaster aid. The Department of Housing and Urban Development did [...]
Read moreDon’t bypass low income homeowners in weatherization program
June 8, 2010
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The GAO recently issued its bimonthly report of activities funded by the Recovery Act (ARRA) in Texas, including a discussion of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The good news for TDHCA is that the GAO stated ” TDHCA has internal controls for WAP to help ensure that Recovery Act funds are spent according to program [...]
Read moreMargaret Shaw removed as Austin housing director
June 3, 2010
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Margaret Shaw has been removed as director of the City of Austin’s housing department by Austin City Manager Marc Ott. SHe served as housing director for two years. Signs of trouble for Shaw have been evident to observers for several months. Her management style clearly rankled employees within the department and some in the Austin [...]
Read moreBo McCarver’s weekly news compilation – 6/1/2010
June 3, 2010
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Tuesday Report, June 1, 2010 Special to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service The recession drags into a third year with mortgaged homeowners still folding under over-priced loans for over-priced homes. Stories from California and Memphis confirm the pattern; in Memphis aspiring African-Americans have been knocked from the middle class. Others foreclosure is stride [...]
Read moreSeriously?
June 2, 2010
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Sometimes things cross my desk I don’t even know exactly how to comment on them in polite company: H.R.5369 : “A BILL To amend the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to exempt manufactured and modular housing retailers from the requirements of such Act, and for other purposes.” If you missed [...]
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- Mitt Romney at private fundraiser: I might eliminate HUD – The Washington Post
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Bo’s housing news clips: Study finds zoning segregates lower-income students in lower-scoring schools.
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Texas LIHTC housing program rocked by second earthquake in two months
- Low-Income Housing Program Compels Building in Poor Texas Areas – NYTimes.com
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Bo’s housing news clips: National home foreclosures and Galveston housing woes are top stories in recent weeks
