|
HUD CARIBBEAN BULLETIN
Serving Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
2023 Fiscal Year in Review
|
|
 |
|
Dear HUD Partners,
Greetings from the San Juan Field Office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which serves the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This Caribbean Bulletin aims to share information on significant activities undertaken by HUD's San Juan Field Office and our housing partners. Throughout the newsletter you will also find links to help you navigate the various resources on HUD programs, training opportunities, and funding announcements.
Fiscal Year 2023 was full of fieldwork, workshops, technical assistance provided by HUD Staff, management initiatives, significant funding, federal opportunities, collaborations with local and federal agencies, and continued accomplishments moving forward with various Secretarial priorities.
We hope you enjoy this highlight review for the Fiscal Year 2023, and we look forward to continuing working together with our partners and stakeholders.
|
FEATURED STORY
Photo: From left, Marisol Bonnet, Secretary’s Advisor on Puerto Rico for the US Department of Energy; Maretzie Díaz, Disaster Recovery Deputy Secretary for the Puerto Rico Department of Housing; Mitchelle Méndez, HUD Grant Manager for the Puerto Rico Electrical Grid Grant and CPD Specialist for the Caribbean Region; Belmari Quiles, HUD Grant Manager for the Puerto Rico Mitigation Grant and CPD Specialist for the Caribbean Region; and Laura Rivera, HUD Coordinating Officer for Disaster Recovery for the Caribbean Region.
The Office of Disaster Recovery conducts multiple engagements throughout the year to guide and support grantees with their recovery goals, share best practices, and provide updates on achievements with the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds in their jurisdictions. One of these efforts was the 2023 CDBG-DR Problem Solving Clinic held in Chicago, Illinois, from April 25 to the 27th. CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT grantees, sub-recipients, and grantee partners networked and learned about specific rules, Federal Register notices, cross-cutting requirements, and successful examples for launching and implementing disaster recovery and mitigation programs.
The 2023 Clinic was held in a hybrid format to ensure that many participants could join from all over the country. HUD’s Office of Disaster Recovery team in San Juan served as panelists for a session on April 26 about Puerto Rico’s Energy Improvements and the Grid. Participants learned how CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT funds could be used for energy and electrical grid projects, about the experiences of the Puerto Rico Department of Housing with various energy and electrical grid projects funded with CDBG-DR and MIT funds, and about the collaboration with the Department of Energy on energy and grid projects in Puerto Rico.
Federal partners continue working together to build strong relationships with grantees to ensure long-term performance and compliance and that national and state efforts address the citizen's unmet recovery needs.
|
|
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
-
At Chicago Grantee Problem-Solving Clinic HUD Team Discusses Puerto Rico’s Energy Improvements
-
Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network Debuts its First Forum
-
The Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance (DCTA) Program Reaches More Municipalities in Puerto Rico
-
Federal Housing Administration Launches New Resources to Remove Language Barriers for Borrowers
-
Annual FHA Single-Family Training was Conducted for Area Lenders and Industry Partners in San Juan, Puerto Rico
-
A New Chapter for Hundreds of Families at Mirador Las Casas
-
Fair Housing 3-day Training in the U.S. Virgin Islands
-
Self Paced Training Curriculum: Fair Housing Accessibility Requirements and Upcoming Trainings
-
The Caribbean Region Provides Technical Assistance to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
-
Photo & Video Gallery: Important Accomplishments
-
HUD Funding Opportunities
-
HUD Announcements
-
Free COVID Test Kits are Back
-
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island News
-
Upcoming Trainings and Events
|
|
 Sasha Dávila, HUD analyst (second from right) presenting on HUD programs for economic development. Also in the photo, from left to right, Joaquin Altoro, Rural Housing Service Administrator; Dr. Madeline Rossy, HRSA Public Health Advisor; panel moderator José Acarón, AARP Executive Director.
Rural communities often feel disadvantaged when competing with large urban entities for funding and direct access to necessary programs. To combat this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development created the Rural Partners Network (RPN), an all-of-government program that helps rural communities find resources and funding to create jobs, build infrastructure, and support long-term economic stability on their own terms.
In Puerto Rico, the local Rural Development office led by Director Monica Rodríguez hosted its first Partners Network Forum on August 29, 2023, in Caguas. The partnership has three rural networks: Southwest, Central Mountain, and East Networks, comprising 15 municipalities. The HUD San Juan Field Office assists the Southwest Signature Project with the Rural Partners Network.
The emotive expressions from Pastor Benjie Toro from the Southwest Rural Network told of the urgent need for repairing and building houses for the community and the need for public services and commercial business to retain the population and leave a better Guánica for future generations. The Southwest Rural Network works with Siberia, Arenas, and Esperanza communities in Guánica to provide planning, project management, and funding support for economic development projects and a community land bank plan.
Representatives from the three networks shared first-hand stories, needs, and aspirations for their communities. A variety of panels included presentations on programs and opportunities from HUD, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Economic Development Administration (EDA), to name a few. All shared valuable information with the audience of rural communities, local government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro highlighted how developing housing has become an economic engine in small towns and rural communities. Particularly, he touched upon the possibilities when connecting community facilities with workforce housing, such as health facilities and housing for doctors and nurses.
This successful forum is one of many first steps undertaken by the Rural Partners Network collaborators across Puerto Rico to spotlight rural communities and leverage federal agencies' connections and knowledge to get them closer to achieving their goals.
The Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance (DCTA) Program team continues to support the municipalities in Puerto Rico. As part of the commitment, quarterly seminars are held where active and former participants are provided with training and workshops on various hot topics of interest related to advancing community development projects and improving organizational and financial management.
For the spring and summer, the DCTA team and HUD San Juan Field office invited all municipalities from Puerto Rico to learn about managing construction projects and the permitting process. The Technical Assistance provider, Enterprise Community Partners, and guest entities such as the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (OGPe), Puerto Rico Builders' Association, and private companies such as Slocum Ventures and MS Consulta facilitated the seminars in Spanish on issues of such interest.
These workshops have covered questions regarding processes and tools to solicit permits at a local level. Also, procurement processes and project management for construction projects were discussed, and municipalities got to present their construction projects and get clarification from subject matter experts.
Mayors and municipal staff may contact Christopher Burgos from the Office of Policy Development & Research at Christopher.A.Burgos@hud.gov to receive invitations to future quarterly seminars or learn more about receiving in-depth technical assistance through the DCTA program. DCTA Program Info Sheet (English | Español)
The following resources are new additions to the DCTA Program Resources page.
Federal Housing Administration Launches New Resources to Remove Language Barriers for Borrowers
Multi-language translations of single-family mortgage documents offer new resources for lenders and servicers when working with borrowers with limited English proficiency.
 |
|
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) made available in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese more than 30 single-family mortgage documents and related resources used in the origination of FHA-insured mortgages.
The educational resources are accessible from FHA’s new language access web page. They are intended to assist lenders, servicers, housing counselors, and other FHA program participants in explaining information related to FHA-insured mortgages to those with limited English proficiency prior to borrowers executing legal documents in English, as required by law.
|
 Just one undervalued home can have a ripple effect on many other homeowners in a community. The #PAVEActionPlan proposes strong solutions to halt the compounding effects of undervaluations. #EndAppraisalBias Visit the PAVE website to learn more.
HUD Officials Discuss Growth of Affordable Housing with the Mayors Association President
|
Annual FHA Single-Family Training was Conducted for Area Lenders and Industry Partners in San Juan, Puerto Rico
 The Atlanta Homeownership Center Director Dan Rogers III, Former South East Regional Administrator Jose Alvarez and the Single Family Staff joined HUD San Juan Director Efrain Maldonado in welcoming participants on the 3-day trainings.
From May 15 - 17, 2023, Single-Family hosted the annual Processing and Underwriting Training for lenders and industry partners in San Juan, PR. HUD Appraisers Malcolm Jefferson and Yoel Sanchez and the Processing and Underwriter Director, Linn Lawrence, offered the trainings. The information provided covered the latest on appraisals, FHA condominium approval, and credit underwriting.
Following the successful training sessions, on May 18, 2023 the Atlanta Homeownership Center Director, Dan Rogers III, hosted a Lender Roundtable with the Puerto Rico Mortgage Bankers Association. Efrain Maldonado, San Juan Field Office Director, and Linn Lawrence joined Dan Rogers in this event, bringing together approximately 30 area lenders. The roundtable offered an opportunity to learn about FHA policy updates and to engage in a Q & A session with FHA subject matter experts.
|
|
 On May 16, 2023, Region II-FHEO Enforcement staff, Senior Equal Opportunity Specialist (EOS) Irma Perez-Pillot, and EOS Néstor Allende-Asparó collaborated with HUD Multi-Family Office-Senior Account Executive Stefanny Piña; Account Executives José Castrillo and Sorayanmarie Saez; and Daniel Ortiz, Jacksonville Branch Manager by providing 3 training sessions on the Fair Housing Act and Section 504. The first day was to 43 residents of various multi-family housing projects in St. Croix, USVI. Among the participants were people whose native language was English or Spanish. Therefore, Ms. Pérez-Pillot and Mr. Allende-Asparo were able to provide the training in Spanish and, at the same time, translate the information into English, in addition to providing answers on reasonable accommodation, reasonable modification, discriminatory advertising, and filing complaints, examples of complaints, along with other pressing topics. The training was provided at the Flamboyant Gardens facility and lasted approximately 3.5 hours. A second training was also provided to 45 Multifamily Housing management agents.
For the third training, FHEO staff Irma Perez-Pillot and Nestor Allende-Asparó collaborated with HUD PIH-Office San Juan by providing training on the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 to an audience of 28, comprising property managers, disability coordinators, and executive staff of the Virgin Islands Housing Administration (VIHA). VIHA has projects throughout the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix. The FHEO trainers answered questions on reasonable accommodations and reasonable modification, among other things. The training was provided at the Auro Díaz Public Housing Community Center, St. Croix, and lasted approximately 3 hours.
|
|
Self-Paced Training Curriculum: Fair Housing Accessibility Requirements and Upcoming Trainings
Training Description
This Fair Housing Accessibility First training curriculum focuses on the Fair Housing Act’s Accessibility Requirements and announces training curriculums being offered in 2023.
Topics Covered:
- Identify the coverage of the Fair Housing Act’s disability rights protections.
- Identify the technical requirements of the Fair Housing Act and the specifications for each requirement.
- Identify the safe harbors used for compliance.
- Identify the consequences of non-compliance and the reasons for complying with the Fair Housing Act’s accessibility requirements.
- Identify suggestions for achieving compliance with the Fair Housing Act, why compliance is important, and available resources for compliance.
- Identify opportunities for continued FHA First Accessibility Training.
|
|
 |
 Manuel Ortiz and Jessie Huddleston, CPD Specialists from the Office of Disaster Recovery provided the Virgin Islands
Housing Finance Authority a TA on HUD’s national objectives on the second quarter of fiscal year
 The Senior Advisor to the Office of the Secretary, Rosanna Torres Pizarro, welcomed the Multi-Sector Council in support of the homeless population affiliated with the Mental Health and Addiction Services Administration (Spanish abbreviation ASSMCA) and thanked the Council's partners for including HUD in these conversations and panels that took place in the local office in San Juan and recognized the importance of these discussions and all that can be achieved if we work as a group and for the same purpose by uniting all available efforts and resources. The multi-sector Council's Strategic Plan focuses on eight pillars: prevention, awareness, government services, housing, health, employment, and income, and is an initiative for a coordinated plan to address homelessness. To develop this Plan, the Council held a series of roundtable meetings, beginning in 2023, divided into seven discussion topics: Homelessness has a Solution, Employment and Income, Health and Homelessness, Youth and Homelessness, Family with Children, Seniors, and Government Services.
 HUD San Juan field office Director discussed with CONSUR Mayors and their staff the recently approved TA that Enterprise Communities will deliver, the staffing of the CONSUR entity, and the work plans that will be required to report to the HUD Deputy Secretary shortly.
HUD leadership supported and guided the CONSUR Mayors and organization as they continued establishing the organization, working, and building capacity. Clear expectations on reconstruction progress were laid out so that CONSUR could accomplish its mission.
 The Atlanta Homeownership Center, Office of Single Family leadership held a roundtable with the Puerto Rico Mortgage Bankers Association on May 2023. Thus providing the audience an opportunity to learn of FHA policy updates and to engage in a question-and-answer session.
 Territories and non Continental U.S. grantees met at the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Clinic in Chicago on April 2024. There were representatives from PR, USVI, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
HUD’s #PuertoRico team continues working with municipalities participating in the Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program. Best practices, progress and challenges are discussed to improve financial performance.
Irma Perez, Senior Equal Opportunity Specialist #FHEO, briefed local homeless organizations and government agencies on fair housing laws and protected class rights at the Solo Por Hoy homeless awareness conference www.hud.gov/fairhousing. #PuertoRico
For Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) on May 2023 the San Juan Field Office staff participated on the HUD Health Walk to encourage a focus on health and wellness.
The San Juan Field Office celebrated Public Service Recognition Week on May 2023.
The San Juan Field Office Directors and leadership recognized the HUD San Juan public servants at the 2023 Years of Service Awards for their dedication and years of service to the federal government.
 The San Juan Field Office staff actively participated in an interactive hybrid conversation about Inclusion at Work: Raise Awareness, Cultivate Courage and Achieve Transformation. In the fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape, embracing diversity and fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging are not just buzzwords but essential components of a successful organization.
 On September 9, 1968, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development building was formally opened by Secretary Robert C. Weaver.
The building, designed by architect Marcel Breuer, was visually interesting, exceptionally modern for the time, and it served as a towering representation of our agency’s promise: to ensure American neighborhoods and housing are strong, lively, and sustainable.
Fifty-five years later, the Robert C. Weaver Building is still that towering pillar of promise, but most importantly, the people who walk its halls have stayed true to the mission and hope our agency represents.
Over the next few months, HUD will recognize Secretary Robert C. Weaver and public servants who work tirelessness in the Robert C. Weaver Building and in field offices each day.
Thank you, HUD team, for your service to the American people. CHEERS TO 55 YEARS!
HUD UPCOMING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
HUD awards discretionary funding through over 20 Grant programs that support HUD initiatives, including Affordable Housing Development and Preservation, Community and Economic Development, Environment and Energy, Fair Housing, Homelessness, Homeownership, Rental Assistance, and Supportive Housing and Services.
Search for HUD grants on Grants.gov – Here you may search for discretionary HUD Grants, eligibility, and category. You will also find a Forecast for upcoming HUD grants.
-
FY2023 HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program – CLOSING 10/12/2023 – This program provides grants to small communities to support renovations of historic or traditional “Main Street” areas by replacing unused commercial space with affordable housing units.
-
Tenant Education and Outreach- CLOSING 10/23/2023 This NOFO announces the availability of approximately $10 million in funds to support tenant capacity building at eligible existing Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) properties through the Tenant Education and Outreach (TEO) program, with the goal of preserving decent, safe, and sanitary housing within the PBRA program.
-
Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: Elements – CLOSING 3/28/2024 The Elements NOFO provides modest awards designed to add proven and highly impactful climate resilience and carbon reduction measures to the construction scopes of in-progress recapitalization transactions.
-
Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: Leading Edge – CLOSING 4/30/2024 The Leading Edge NOFO provides funding to Owners aiming to quickly meet ambitious carbon reduction and resilience goals without requiring extensive collaboration with HUD.
-
Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: Comprehensive – CLOSING 5/30/2024 This NOFO funds recapitalization investments designed from inception around deep retrofits, focused on innovative energy efficiency and greening measures, renewable energy generation, structural building materials with lower embodied carbon, and climate resilience investments.
HUD ANNOUNCEMENTS
-The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets income limits that determine eligibility for 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. HUD develops income limits based on Median Family Income estimates and Fair Market Rent area definitions for each metropolitan area, parts of some metropolitan areas, and each non-metropolitan county.
HUD released its Fiscal Year 2024 Fair Market Rents, which increased by 12% on average across the U.S. Click here to view the FY24 FMRs. FAQs on the FY24 FMRs are available here.
-FHA Publishes Updates to Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1
On August 9, 2023, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published updates to the Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (Handbook 4000.1). Some of the more notable updates include, but are not limited to, the following new guidance:
-
Section I – Doing Business with FHA
- Removed language that exempted certain new institutions from providing income and cash flow statements as part of the audited financial statements to clarify existing requirements for Mortgagee approval.
- Updated language to remove the requirement to register the underwriter for Title I Property Improvement Loans.
-
Section II – Origination through Post-closing/Endorsement
- Updated the process for canceling and reinstating case numbers.
- Added a new section, Foreign Income, as one of the Other Sources of Effective Income.
- Added guidance on Temporary Interest Rate Buydown to the TOTAL Mortgage Scorecard section to align with guidance in the Manual section.
- Section III – Servicing and Loss Mitigation
- Updated guidance to clarify that the principal and interest (P&I) monthly payment may increase when the Target Payment is not achieved.
- Updated policy to clarify that excluded property preservation expenses are not included in the maximum property preservation allowance of $5,000, and an over-allowable request for an excluded expense is not required if the cost of the excluded expense is equal to or less than the amount in Appendix 7.0.A.
- Updated the mailing address and review process for submission of the title evidence and servicing records package for Hawaiian Home Lands Mortgages to streamline the title approval process.
- Throughout Sections II, III, IV
- Updated Fair Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity, and related language to be consistent in content and word order throughout sections II, III, and IV.
- Appendix
- Clarified the requirements for requesting approval for expenses that exceed the Maximum Property Preservation Allowances.
Stakeholders are encouraged to review and familiarize themselves with the changes in Handbook 4000.1. A separate redline version of Handbook 4000.1 has also been posted on the Handbook 4000.1 Information web page. The online version of Handbook 4000.1 is being updated and will be available soon.
-SPEARS, Business Registry, Opportunity Portal Phased out on September 1, 2023
The Section 3 Performance Evaluation and Registry System (SPEARS), Business Registry and Opportunity Portal are currently phased out and are no longer active. Individual file requests and other inquiries can be made through your local HUD Field Office or at Section3@hud.gov. The HUD Section 3 team will continue to share “Section 3” news as well as the creation of a national Section 3 Resource Hub through GovDelivery.
-Section 3 Final Rule Training: Section 3 is a provision of the HUD Act of 1968 that promotes local economic development, neighborhood economic improvement, and individual self-sufficiency. To the greatest extent possible, Section 3 requires that recipients of certain HUD financial assistance provide job training and employment opportunities to low- or very low-income residents in connection with projects and activities in their neighborhoods.
-Disaster Resources Web Page Redesign: HUD was recognized in September 2023 for its achievement in redesigning the Disaster Resources website to improve navigation, make it mobile-friendly, and make it more intuitive for people currently experiencing housing challenges in a natural disaster.
-DCTA Financial Management Toolkit: Sound financial management is foundational to healthy and effective organizations. The Distressed Cities Technical Assistance (DCTA) program prioritizes addressing financial management and fiscal planning for units of general local government (UGLGs) participating in the program.
This financial management toolkit addresses common financial management topics DCTA recipient UGLGs may encounter in the course of updating and/or creating their financial management policies. Each topic includes helpful resources, including:
-
Training Videos provide an overview of the topic and highlight how to use the accompanying tool
-
Training Slides can be downloaded and referenced while watching the training videos
-
Tools are a combination of resource and guidance documents as well as easily customizable templates to facilitate the UGLG work
English | Spanish
-PD&R Edge Articles
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) supports the Department's efforts to help create cohesive, economically healthy communities.
The office publishes “PD&R Exchange,” an online magazine that focuses on Community Development, Fair Housing, Housing Markets, Neighborhood Revitalization, Rental Housing, Affordable Housing and Sustainability. You can access the magazine here:
PD&R Edge Home Page Updated | HUD USER
Recent Edge articles include:
Free COVID test kits are back: Here’s how to get yours
Starting September 25, you can order four free test kits per household through COVIDtests.gov. The tests will detect the currently circulating COVID-19 variants and are intended for use through the end of 2023. The kits will include instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates. Many kits have had their expiration dates extended beyond what may be printed on the packaging.
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island News
UPCOMING TRAININGS AND EVENTS
Upcoming Single Family Housing Events and Training
Training Opportunities
Explore training opportunities to develop skills, build knowledge, and expand your capacity as you design, implement, and administer your HUD programs at Trainings - HUD Exchange.
|
|
|
|
HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes; utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination and transform the way HUD does business.
Find your local HUD office
For suggestions or collaborations, please contact Program Analyst for the Office of Field Policy and Management, Charlene M. Rodriguez, at charlene.rodriguez@hud.gov
|
|
|
|
|
