Department of Housing and Urban Development October 24, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule combines and streamlines the former legacy public housing modernization programs, including the Comprehensive Grant Program (CGP), the Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program (CIAP), and the Public Housing Development Program (which encompasses mixed-finance development), into the Capital Fund Program (CFP). This rule defines qualified PHAs, which are not required to file annual plans. The rule expands HUD's current requirement that a Public Housing Authority (PHA) submit a physical needs assessment (PNA) to include small PHAs as well as large PHAs, but provides small PHAs additional time to plan for and implement this requirement. The rule allows PHAs to request a total development cost (TDC) exception for integrated utility management, capital planning, and other capital and management activities that promote energy conservation and efficiency, including green construction and retrofits, which include windows; heating system replacements; wall insulation; site-based generation; advanced energy savings technologies, including renewable energy generation; and other such retrofits. The rule also makes changes to replacement housing factor funds and the threshold for management improvements. Because this rule streamlines programs, several formerly separate regulations are eliminated with the implementation of this rule.