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On July 29, HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing published an update to the COVID-19 Q&A. This is the 11th update to the FAQs since the pandemic began. This update extends certain deadlines and waivers, clarifies previous guidance, and adds new questions regarding the Emergency Rental Assistance program.

Deadline and Waiver Extensions

Here are two deadline and waiver extensions applicable to Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) site owners.

When Elsa reached sustained winds of 85 mph recently, it became the strongest July storm in the Caribbean Sea since Hurricane Emily in 2005. It was a hurricane that formed far earlier than forecasters anticipated, even during what is expected to be an above average Atlantic hurricane season.

Conduct a four-factor analysis to determine the translation needs at your site.

Individuals who don’t speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English can be limited English proficient, or “LEP.” These individuals are entitled to language assistance with respect to HUD-subsidized housing.

A family member can seek to qualify as a live-in aide as long as HUD requirements are met. HUD defines a live-in aide as “a person who resides with one or more elderly persons, near-elderly or persons with disabilities” and is necessary to offer care and well-being services. HUD adds that a live-in aide is:

On April 2, HUD formally withdrew a Trump era proposed rule that would’ve adjusted how rental assistance is prorated to households with mixed immigration status. Instead of continuing to allow mixed-status households to live in HUD-assisted housing and prorating the amount of their assistance to cover only the eligible family members, the controversial 2019 proposal would’ve prohibited aid to the entire household.

On April 1, HUD issued the fiscal year 2021 income limits that determine eligibility for various HUD-assisted housing programs including the Public Housing, Section 8 Project-Based, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Section 202 Housing for the Elderly, and Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities programs. The income limits became effective immediately and can be found at www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.

HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) recently issued guidance regarding the use of public housing funds to support Internet connectivity for public housing residents. PIH has found that although broadband Internet is vitally important for education, employment, health, and connection to others in the 21st century, many low-income Americans, especially those served by HUD’s public housing program, have less access to broadband Internet, devices, and the training to use them.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the pandemic. PPP loans were intended to cover payroll expenses, as well as qualifying rent, utility, and mortgage payments and forgivable in part, under certain conditions. More than $500 billion in loans were disbursed to over 5 million businesses before the program closed in August.

In the CARES Act, enacted in late March, Congress approved relief funds for federally assisted housing providers in the Section 202, Section 811, and project-based Section 8 programs. Specifically, the CARES Act provided:

On Nov. 6, HUD published Notice H 2020-10 to clarify the Electronic Signatures and Electronic File Storage guidance previously published on May 26, 2020, in Notice H 2020-04. This guidance gave owners the flexibility to use electronic signatures and documents so they could limit in-person interactions at sites. The guidance from May permits, but doesn’t require, HUD multifamily partners to use electronic signatures and electronic file transmission and retention.

The revised notice replaces the earlier guidance and provides updates to the following two sections: