HUD Highlights E-Newsletter
February 2007 Volume 3, Number 2

HUD Highlights is a monthly e-newsletter from HUD's Seattle Regional Office about upcoming events, program updates and grant opportunities. Subscribe today!

$1.4 Billion Awarded to Homeless Programs Nationwide
Dozens of homeless programs throughout Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington will receive over $50.6 million in Continuum of Care grants announced this week. An additional $5 million was awarded in Emergency Shelter grants. These funds provide emergency, transitional and permanent housing to thousands of homeless individuals and families, as well as supportive services such as job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. Read more about these grants

	Learn how to register for grants
	Learn more about HUD's SuperNOFA

Creative Approaches To Affordable Housing
The current issue of the Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse newsletter Breakthroughs highlights innovative approaches to creating affordable housing. Read about HUD's National Call to Action, some new approaches to workforce housing in Florida and Washington State, and how mixed-use libraries are providing access to both books and affordable housing in Oregon and New York. Do you have similar success stories to share? Call (800) 245-2691/option 4 or send an email to rbcsubmit@huduser.org. Who knows, maybe your community’s efforts will be highlighted in a future issue of Breakthroughs!

When Do Fair Housing Accessibility Requirements Apply?
Are you constructing or renovating a building with four or more units? Even if there are no HUD funds in the development, you may be covered under the Fair Housing Act accessibility requirements. Contact Fair Housing Accessibility First for technical assistance in meeting those requirements. Call (888) FH1RST1 ((888) 341-7781 V/TTY) or visit www.fairhousingfirst.org. If there are HUD funds in the development, call the Region X Fair Housing Office toll free at (800) 877-0246 (Hearing impaired direct (206) 220-4185 or toll free (800) 927-9275).

Help for Low-Income Working Families --Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC)
The EITC is a refundable Federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. For the 2006 tax year, the maximum EITC is $4,536. Thousands of people every year pass up millions of dollars because they fail to take advantage of some or all of the credits for which they are eligible. Help promote the EITC, so that more eligible people receive the credit. Visit the IRS website to learn more.

Web-based National Housing Locator Launched
HUD has designed a web-based, National Housing Locator (NHL) to assist state and public housing authorities and other first responders in rapidly identifying available rental housing during a disaster. The NHL combines federal housing resources with three commercial apartment locators and housing websites and allows users to set a number of search criteria to locate available housing. The NHL may be opened to the general public at a later date. Learn more about the National Housing Locator

FY07 Section 8 Contract Rent Annual Adjustment Factors Announced
The U.S. Housing Act of 1937 provides for annual rent adjustments for housing units assisted under Section 8. HUD develops the rent adjustment factors, called Annual Adjustment Factors (AAFs), on the basis of the Consumer Price Index data on changes in residential rent and utility costs. The updated FY07 AAFs were posted in the Federal Register effective February 1. These factors are applied at Housing Assistance Payment rental contract anniversaries for calendar months beginning after the effective date of this notice.

Questions or comments? Please contact us!
Email: WA_Webmanager@hud.gov
Phone: (206) 220-5101
Visit us on the web: www.hud.gov or espanol.hud.gov
Our mailing address: Seattle Regional Office, 909 First Avenue, Suite 255, Seattle, WA 98104-1000

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