TDHCA offers lowest rates ever for homebuyer program

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has reduced interest rates on mortgage loans offered through its Texas First Time Homebuyer Program to its lowest levels in the program's 27-year history.

Loans come in two forms: assisted loans, which feature a low 4.95 percent rate but also offer down payment and closing cost assistance up to 5 percent of the mortgage amount; and unassisted loans, at an even lower 4.20 percent rate but with no additional assistance.

The Texas First Time Homebuyer Program offers qualifying low to moderate income households who have not owned a home in the previous three years an opportunity to obtain safe, reliable mortgage loans.

Loans are available through the program's network of over 55 participating lending institutions with more than 300 branches located throughout the state. For more information about the program and how to qualify, visit the program's Web site: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/homeownership/index.htm or call 1-(800)792-1119.

TDHCA Announces the Release of a Request for Applications for ARRA Weatherization Providers

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is pleased to announce the release of a Request for Applications (RFA) for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Weatherization Assistance Program. The RFA is seeking to expand the Department's existing weatherization subrecipient network for the purposes of efficiently expending ARRA WAP funds.

The goal of the TDHCA Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is to provide high quality, cost-effective weatherization services to income qualified households while ensuring the health and safety of the household occupants. Weatherization services improve the overall comfort, energy efficiency and safety of homes.  These services are provided free of charge to all qualifying households served by the program.

In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded the WAP for Texas at a level of $326,975,732. These funds have been allocated by the Department to an existing network of providers. The Department is accepting Applications for additional statewide, regional or local providers to serve as an overlay to the Department's existing ARRA WAP Subrecipient network. Through this RFA, the Department is seeking one or more entities to perform DOE WAP-compliant weatherization activities.

AS PROVIDED IN DOE REGULATIONS, ONLY UNITS OF GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SUBRECIPIENTS OF ARRA WAP FUNDS. The Request for Applications is posted on the ARRA WAP webpage of the Department: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/recovery/detail-wap.htm.

An Application Workshop will be held on Friday, May 7, 2010, in Austin, Texas. Attendance at the workshop is mandatory to be eligible to apply under the RFA and registration for the workshop is required. The registration form for the Workshop can be found at: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/recovery/detail-wap.htm.

If you have questions regarding this RFA or the Application Workshop, please contact Sharon Gamble, Energy Assistance Section Manager, at mailto:sharon.gamble@tdhca.state.tx.us or 512-475-0471. 

REMINDER: 2010-2011 HTF Rural Housing Expansion Program Application Workshop

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs announces the Release of the 2010-2011 Housing Trust Fund - Rural Housing Expansion Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and an application workshop for entities interested in responding to the NOFA.

The purpose of the HTF Rural Housing Expansion Program ("Program") is to provide up to $1,750,000 in funding from the 2010-2011 Housing Trust Fund (HTF) appropriation to further the Department's goal of building capacity in tandem with actual production of affordable housing in rural Texas.  The Rural Housing Expansion Program ("Program") will simultaneously provide capacity building resources and funds for direct housing delivery. The Program is designed with the understanding that having a commitment of direct delivery funds will allow a recipient entity to fully develop capacity through training, technical assistance and hands-on experience.

Eligible Applicants are rural municipalities and rural counties, Nonprofit Organizations that serve rural communities, or consortia of several such municipalities, counties and/or Nonprofit Organizations.

The Program includes three activities for which an application may qualify:

1.  Direct Housing Delivery. 

2.  USDA Section 502 Direct Loan Application Assistance. 

3.  Capacity Building Grants.

Full program details, NOFA and application materials are posted to the Housing Trust Fund NOFA webpage at http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/htf/nofa.htm. 

The Application Workshop will be held on Thursday, April 22, 2010, from 1:00pm until 4:00pm, in Room 3.102 of the Thompson Conference Center, 2405 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX 78712. There is no fee for the Application Workshop, and although participation is recommended, it is not required for submitting an Application. Registration for the Application Workshop is required. Please register online at: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/htf/htf-training.htm

More information regarding this program is available at http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/htf/. If you have questions regarding this NOFA or the application workshop, please contact Mark Leonard, Housing Trust Fund Program Specialist, at mailto:HTF@tdhca.state.tx.us or 512-936-7799. 

TDHCA: NSP Re-allocation NOFA and Application

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs announces the availability of the Texas Neighborhood Stabilization Program Re-Allocation Notice of Funding Availability (NSP-R NOFA).  The NSP-R NOFA and application form are available on the Texas NSP Webpage: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/nsp/index.htm  The NSP-R NOFA makes $4,391,560 available to units of local government and nonprofit organizations for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes and residential properties.

The initial application deadline for NSP-R is 5:00pm on Tuesday, April 20.  Applications meeting threshold score criteria that are not awarded funds in the initial round will be retained for funding as additional funds become available.  Applications will be accepted after the deadline for additional funds that may become available. 

Questions regarding the NSP-R NOFA or application should be directed to Marni Holloway, NSP Administrator, at mailto:marni.holloway@tdhca.state.tx.us or (512) 475-3726.

2009 USHHS Poverty Guidelines [CSBG][ESGP]

Attention 2009 Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESGP) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Subrecipients:

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has posted the USHHS poverty guidelines on the Department's website. This information is also available directly from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/community-services/index.htm

http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09fedreg.shtml

Please note that the poverty levels indicated are at 100% of poverty. For the ESGP program, persons must be at 100% of the poverty guidelines and for CSBG 200%.   Please ensure that staff responsible for client intake and eligibility is aware of the program requirements.

ATTENTION 2010 COMPETITIVE HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICANTS.

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs announces the release of guidance for the proration of the $2 Million Annual Credit Allocation Cap for those Applicants, Developers, Related Parties or Guarantors that are eligible for the proration. If you have any questions you may contact Robbye Meyer at (512) 475-2213 or by email at mailto:robbye.meyer@tdhca.state.tx.us or Raquel Morales at (512) 475-1676 or email at mailto:raquel.morales@tdhca.state.tx.us . You can locate the guidance on the Department's website under 'Announcements' at the following link http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/multifamily/htc/index.htm

Repo Mobile Homes

Is there anything you guys want to know about buying a mobile home?