Opportunities

PODCAST: Grant Funding for Affordable Housing via the Federal Home Loan Bank

January 3, 2020

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash

Listen to this Areaprobe podcast which details financing affordable housing using grant funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank.

You can also listen to it in segments here:

About the Speaker
Megan Krider started working at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh in 2013 in the Community Investment Department and now serves as Manager, Affordable Housing and Community Development. In this position, Megan has the responsibility of managing the Affordable Housing Program which has supplied more than $263 million in efforts to support affordable housing development. Additionally, by managing the Bank’s Blueprint Communities® initiative, Megan has been able to support community development and the capacity building for communities. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from John Carroll University as well as a Master of Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

0 Comments/in HAND News, Opportunities, HAND Thought Leadership /by H.A.N.D.

DC Solar For All Subscriber Sign-Up

December 9, 2019

The DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is currently signing up qualified District residents (those who meet the income qualifications listed below) for its Solar For All program. It aims to sign up around 2,000 District residents in the next few months. Qualified residents that sign-up receive credits on their Pepco bill of around $500 per year, which is about 50% of the average Pepco bill for District residents, allowing them to share in the benefits of clean solar power. For more information, please contact DOEE at solarforall@dc.gov or (202) 299-5271.

Washington DC residents can participate in Solar for All single family solar or community solar options if the household income is below 80% of the area median income (AMI) threshold.

Persons in household	Income threshold
1	$67,950
2	$77,650
3	$87,350
4	$97,050
5	$104,850
6	$112,600
7	$120,350
8	$128,150

^{Household income amounts listed in the eligibility table are effective as of 06/28/19, but may change.}

0 Comments/in HAND News, Areas Of Need, Opportunities /by H.A.N.D.

DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) Request for Proposals for Solar For All Program

December 9, 2019

Photo by Justin Lim on Unsplash

The DCSEU currently has a request for proposals (RFP) out for review by solar installers and developers, with responses due by December 20, 2019. By late January, installers and developers will be notified whether or not their proposal has been selected, and they can begin working with potential site hosts to construct community renewable energy facilities (CREF) that will supply energy to the Solar For All program administered by the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Any building or land owner interested in hosting a CREF site, can contact DOEE at (202) 535-2600 for a list of the selected installers and developers in late January, 2020. An interested site host can then work with the selected installers and developers to come to an agreement on how solar would be installed on their site, including an agreement on the benefits that they could receive from hosting the CREF site.

0 Comments/in HAND News, Opportunities /by H.A.N.D.

National Housing Trust’s Resident Story Gallery | A Tool for Affordable Housing Advocacy

September 20, 2019

In 2017 National Housing Trust (NHT) partnered with Enterprise Community Partners to create Where Will We Live, a campaign which highlights the importance of affordable housing by uplifting resident voices and drawing the connection between access to affordable housing and health, education and economic opportunity.

Throughout 2018, the Where Will We Live team traveled across the country interviewing over 150 low-income residents and community members about their experiences with affordable housing and how access to federal housing assistance helps residents access greater economic opportunity, health care, supportive services, and education.

The growing gallery of resident stories is available as a resource for stakeholders to use to help make the case for affordable housing for low-income residents – it can even be filtered by state and cross-sector topic. This information can be shared via blogs, newsletters, tweets, or other media. Access the gallery here.

0 Comments/in HAND News, Opportunities /by H.A.N.D.

Maryland DHCD | 2020 Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide Revision—Update and Schedule for Listening Sessions

September 18, 2019

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is initiating the process to revise the Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide (Guide). This notice is an update about upcoming events and opportunities for you to provide feedback to this ongoing process. It is the intention of the Department to have a transparent and open process regarding the changes to the Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide.

Since the creation of the LIHTC program in 1986, the Department has benefited greatly from the input and participation of its partners, with the end result being the production of thousands of quality affordable rental homes for low-income households across the State. As the Department moves forward in revising the Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide, it is committed to achieving a final product that balances many competing priorities and benefits from the collective expertise and experience of interested parties.

This notice, as well as other documents and resources associated with the revision of the Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide will be posted to the website through this process.

Beginning in September, the Department will hold a series of Regional Listening Sessions to provide an overview of the Spring 2019 Round, solicit additional comments you, as well as to engage in a dialogue regarding revisions to the Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide. Below are the dates and locations of the Regional Listening Sessions. Please feel free to attend as many of the meetings as you wish.

Eastern Shore: Thursday, September 26, 2019 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Town of Denton
4 North Second Street, Denton, Maryland 21629

Southern Maryland: Tuesday, October 1, 2019 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
7800 Harkins Road, Lanham, Maryland 20706

Western Maryland: Wednesday, October 2, 2019 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Elgin Station Crossing Community Center
40 Elgin Boulevard, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740

Central Maryland – North: Friday, October 4, 2018, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
300 North Apartments
300 N Warwick Ave, Baltimore, MD 21223

Following the Regional Listening Sessions, it is the Department’s goal to issue to a draft Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide for comment during the fall. It is the Department’s goal to complete this process and adopt a new Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide in early 2020.

The Department has established a dedicated email address for the revision of the Qualified Allocation Plan and Multifamily Rental Financing Program Guide: dhcd.qap@Maryland.gov. Please submit your comments regarding your suggested revisions to this address. Questions can be directed to 301-429-7775 or Gregory.Hare@Maryland.gov.