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Week of August 2, 2004

Front Page

* Atlanta Chosen to Launch National Workforce Housing Initiative
* Start Education Outreach Now With 'Homes of Our Own'
* NAHB Leaders Put Focus on Housing Issues at Democratic Convention
* Housing Snapshot

President's Message

* Please Take the Time to Help Us Solve the GLI Crisis

Housing Forum

* Letters to the Editor

Housing Politics

* Builders Applaud Homeownership Tax Credit Provision in Bipartisan Senate Bill
* Habitat Conservation Measures Receive Builder Support
* House Acts at the Last Minute to Avoid Shutdown of FHA Multifamily Program
* NAHB Enters Election Season With 10-Point Housing Platform

Housing and Economics

* New-Home Sales in June Hold Close to Record Pace
* Record Pace of June Home Re-sales Will Be Tough to Beat, Realtors Say
* Housing Starts in June Cool Down From Torrid Levels
* Eye on the Economy

Senors Housing

* Design Trends for Today’s Booming Boomer Market

Small Builders and Remodelers

* Help Your Clients Be Good Neighbors — And Maybe Pick Up a Job or Two

Multifamily

* Call for Entries for Pillars of the Industry Awards

Environment

* National Tree Preservation Awards Received by NAHB Members

Business Management

* Slim and Trim: Fitness for Your QuickBooks® File
* Build Smarter, Earn More by 'Pricing for Profits'
* Build Your Knowledge at the Custom Builder Symposium

Building Systems

* Consumer Publication Explains Ins and Outs of Building and Buying Log Homes

Design

* Call for Speakers for the Design Program at the Builders’ Show

Labor

* Agreement Promotes Job Safety for Mexican-Born Workers
* Superintendents in Ft. Myers, Florida, Latest to Complete Training Program

Building Products

* Spray Wand Button Provides Personal Shower Control

Building News Coast To Coast

Association News & Events

* Deadline for Insurance Survey Extended; More Participation From Builders Needed
* Fred Kemp, NAHB Senior Life Director From St. Louis, Dies
* Viking Offers Members a Discount on Top of Discounts
* Awards Program Deadlines
* Calendar of Events

NBN Back Issues

 

House Acts at the Last Minute to Avoid Shutdown of FHA Multifamily Program

Just minutes before adjourning for its summer recess, Congress prevented the shutdown of a critical Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program for multifamily housing by giving it an additional $4 billion in loan commitment authority.

The increase was the House’s final order of business before its late adjournment on July 22. It had been approved by the Senate earlier in the week.

“We applaud Congress for taking swift action before the recess to keep this FHA program in the market and operating for the remainder of the current fiscal year,” said NAHB President Bobby Rayburn. “Without this increased authority, the affordable rental housing market could have been seriously disrupted. We will continue to monitor this situation closely to ensure that FHA’s loan authority remains sufficient to meet the demand for multifamily mortgage insurance in the months ahead.”


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Each year Congress sets a ceiling on the total value of loans that the FHA can insure on multifamily properties. When it became clear earlier this summer that the agency would bump up against the ceiling well before the end of the fiscal year, NAHB took the lead in urging Congress to increase FHA’s insurance authority, which is used to encourage construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing.

FHA’s multifamily volume has been stronger than expected in large part because of the increased size of loans that it is now authorized to insure. NAHB worked closely with Congress during the past three years to update the loan limits for FHA multifamily programs, to index the loan limits for inflation and to increase limits for high-cost markets.

Rayburn credited Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) for spearheading this effort in the Senate.

In the House, Representatives Robert Ney (R-OH), Jim Walsh (R-NY) and Alan Mollohan (D-WV) “worked diligently to ensure that the legislation would receive House consideration prior to adjournment,” he added.

For more information, e-mail Michael Strauss or call him at 800-368-5242 x8252.
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