Congressional Research Service Reports - 79 Matching Results
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- Housing Issues in the 113th Congress
- This report begins by providing an overview of the current state of housing markets (both homeownership and rental) and the mortgage market in order to provide context for the policy issues that have been active during the 113th Congress. It then provides a brief description of issues that the 113th Congress has been considering. These issues are broadly divided into two categories: issues related to homeownership and housing finance, and issues related to housing assistance for low-income households
- USDA Rural Housing Programs: An Overview
- This report discusses the the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ability to make loans to farmers to enable them to construct, improve, repair, or replace dwellings and other farm buildings to provide decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions for themselves or their tenants, lessees, sharecroppers, and laborers. USDA was also authorized to make grants or combinations of loans and grants to those farmers who could not qualify to repay the full amount of a loan, but who needed the funds to make the dwellings sanitary or to remove health hazards to the occupants or the community.
- GSEs and the Government's Role in Housing Finance: Issues for the 113th Congress
- This report examines options concerning the future of the GSEs and the future government role in residential mortgage markets. Other CRS reports address related issues such as conservatorship, the GSEs' financial condition, residential mortgage markets in other nations, and affordable housing.
- Introduction to Public Housing
- This report serves as an introduction to the federal public housing program. It provides information on the history of the program, how it is administered and funded, and the characteristics of public housing properties and the households they serve. While it introduces current policy issues, a full analysis of those issues and discussion of current legislation is not included in this report.
- Immigration: Noncitizen Eligibility for Needs-Based Housing Programs
- The issue of noncitizen eligibility for federally funded programs, including needs-based housing programs, is a perennial issue in Congress. Noncitizen eligibility varies among the needs-based housing programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), such as Public Housing, Section 8 vouchers and project-based rental assistance, homeless assistance programs, housing for the elderly (§202) and the disabled (§811), the HOME program, and the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program. Two laws govern noncitizen eligibility for housing programs: Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Welfare Reform) and Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, as amended. There has been congressional interest regarding the implementation of the eligibility requirements for housing programs. Specifically, questions have been raised as to the documentation requirements placed on both citizens and noncitizens in determining eligibility for housing programs. The documentation requirements are dependent on (1) the housing program, (2) the citizenship status of the applicant, and (3) the age of the applicant.
- FHFA's Administrative Reform of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Housing Finance System
- This report discusses housing finance reform and structural changes enacted by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), particularly in relation to government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). It includes sections on GSEs and conservatorship; FHFA reforms broken down into information about risk-sharing transactions, a common securitization platform, and single security; and Congressional action on GSE reform.
- An Introduction to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
- This report discusses the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program which provides developers with tax credits for developing or rehabilitating affordable housing and describes how the allocation processes work.
- Selected Legislative Proposals to Reform the Housing Finance System
- This report briefly explains the different approaches to housing finance reform proposed by the three bills, focusing on efforts to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and reform FHA.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): FY2013 Appropriations
- This report looks at Congress's FY2013 budget allocations for the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations subcommittee.
- Selected Legislative Proposals to Reform the Housing Finance System
- The 113th Congress has seen several developments in the effort to reform the housing finance system. In the House, the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners Act of 2013 (PATH Act; H.R. 2767) was ordered to be reported out of the House Financial Services Committee on July 24, 2013. This report will briefly explain the different approaches to housing finance reform offered by these legislative proposals, focusing on efforts to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and reform FHA. The report does not describe every provision of the proposals but discusses major concepts and themes.
- An Overview of the HOME Investment Partnerships Program
- This report provides an introduction to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, including a brief history, an overview of allowable uses of HOME funds, and a description of certain program requirements. It also provides information on funding for the program and how that funding has been used.
- The Loan Limits for Government-Backed Mortgages
- This report contains brief program descriptions for each of the government-backed housing loan programs and discusses the maximum guarantee amounts for each. The government or quasi-government entities that insure or guarantee mortgages and are discussed in this report are the following: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service (RHS).
- An Introduction to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
- This report discusses the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program, which is one of the federal government’s primary policy tools for encouraging the development and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. These non-refundable federal housing tax credits are awarded to developers of qualified rental projects via a competitive application process administered by state housing finance authorities.
- An Overview of the Housing Finance System in the United States
- This report provides an overview of how the housing finance system works and provides context for housing finance-related policy issues that Congress might choose to consider.
- An Introduction to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
- This report discusses the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program, which is one of the federal government’s primary policy tools for encouraging the development and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. These non-refundable federal housing tax credits are awarded to developers of qualified rental projects via a competitive application process administered by state housing finance authorities.
- VA Housing: Guaranteed Loans, Direct Loans, and Specially Adapted Housing Grants
- This report discusses three types of housing assistance-the loan guaranty program, direct loan programs, and Specially Adapted Housing program-their origins, how they operate, and how they are funded. The report also has a section that discusses the default and foreclosure of VA-guaranteed loans.
- The Housing Trust Fund: Background and Issues
- This report briefly describes the structure and eligible uses of the Housing Trust Fund as authorized in P.L. 110-289.
- FHA Single-Family Mortgage Insurance: Recent Policy Changes and Proposed Legislation
- This report describes recent policy changes made by FHA and recent legislative proposals that would make additional changes to FHA's single-family program. For the most part, this report does not go into detail about the features of FHA-insured loans, FHA's market role, or its financial status, except as necessary to describe implemented or proposed policy changes.
- Reduce, Refinance, and Rent? The Economic Incentives, Risks, and Ramifications of Housing Market Policy Options
- This report discusses the background of financial panic in September 2008, precipitated by the housing bubble of 2006. In particular, the report looks at options that the 112th Congress has regarding the housing market: (1) reducing mortgage principal for borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth, (2) refinancing mortgages for borrowers shut out of traditional financing methods, and (3) renting out foreclosed homes.
- An Introduction to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
- This report provides an overview of the low-income tax credit.
- FHA-Insured Home Loans: An Overview
- This report provides an overview of the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) loan programs.
- Individual Development Accounts (IDAs): Background on Federal Grant Programs to Help Low-Income Families Save
- This report describes IDA(Individual Development Accounts) programs funded by two major federal grants.
- Preserving Homeownership: Foreclosure Prevention Initiatives
- This report describes the consequences of foreclosure on homeowners, outlines recent foreclosure prevention plans implemented by the government and private organizations, and discusses the challenges associated with foreclosure prevention.
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Appropriations Process: FAQs Regarding Potential Legislative Changes and Effects of a Government Shutdown
- This report provides background information on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It discusses the ACA and the annual appropriations process and the potential impact of a shutdown on ACA implementation.
- HUD Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations: In Brief
- This report describes the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) 2018 budget appropriations. The report tracks progress on FY2018 HUD appropriations and provides detailed account-level, and in some cases sub-account-level, funding information (Table 1) as well as a discussion of selected key issues.
- Military Construction: A Snapshot of the President's FY2013 Appropriations Request
- This report looks at President Obama's FY2013 budget request, which included an $11.2 billion for military construction appropriations.
- Selected Legislative Proposals to Reform the Housing Finance System
- This report briefly explains the different approaches to housing finance reform offered by several legislative proposals, focusing on efforts to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and to reform the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- "Robo-Signing" and Other Alleged Documentation Problems in Judicial and Nonjudicial Foreclosure Processes
- Recent depositions involving major servicers, including GMAC Mortgage, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, have raised concerns about "robo-signing" -- the practice of having a small number of individuals sign a large number of affidavits and other legal documents submitted to courts and other public authorities by mortgage companies to execute foreclosure. This report explores concerns related to these issues by explaining the mortgage market process, procedural problems that have surfaced during foreclosure proceedings, and other relevant information.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- VA Housing: Guaranteed Loans, Direct Loans, and Specially Adapted Housing Grants
- This report discusses three types of housing assistance--the loan guaranty program, direct loan programs, and Specially Adapted Housing program-- includingg their origins, how they operate, and how they are funded. It also briefly describes a home rehabilitation pilot program designed to help veterans who have low incomes or disabilities repair or modify their homes, and has a section that discusses the default and foreclosure of VA-guaranteed loans.
- Homelessness: Targeted Federal Programs
- This report discusses the definitions of homelessness used by targeted federal homeless programs and federal efforts to end homelessness. In addition, the report describes the current federal programs that provide targeted assistance to homeless individuals and families (other federal programs may provide assistance to homeless individuals but are not specifically designed to assist homeless persons).
- Housing for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
- This report discusses the creation of the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, which was created to alleviate the difficulties that many individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have finding affordable, stable housing. It also looks at distributions of HOPWA funds, including eligibility and eligible uses for such funding.
- Changes to the Residential Mortgage Market: Legislation, Demographics, and Other Drivers
- This report provides an overview of the changing residential mortgage market, focusing on trends in housing prices, homeownership, mortgage characteristics, and financing. It also examines legislation and regulations designed to promote the efficient functioning of the mortgage market.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request Fact Sheet
- This report provides a brief overview of the FY2019 budget request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with links to relevant Administration budget documents and CRS reports. A list of CRS analysts with expertise on various aspects of the HUD budget is also provided.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations
- This report discusses the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and related agencies. Comparisons between previous and current funding levels and cuts proposed by the Trump Administration are also discussed.
- VA Housing: Guaranteed Loans, Direct Loans, and Specially Adapted Housing Grants
- This report discusses the three types of housing assistance offered by the Veterans Administration (VA): the loan guaranty program, direct loan programs, and Specially Adapted Housing program. Each ones origins, operations, and funding methods are included. The report also has a section that discusses the default and foreclosure of VA-guaranteed loans.
- Housing for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
- This report discusses the creation of the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, which was created to alleviate the difficulties that many individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have finding affordable, stable housing. It also looks at distributions of HOPWA funds, including eligibility and eligible uses for such funding.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought renewed attention to the needs of veterans, including the needs of homeless veterans. Homeless veterans initially came to the country’s attention in the 1970s and 1980s, when homelessness generally was becoming a more prevalent and noticeable phenomenon. This report defines the term “homeless veteran,” discusses attempts to estimate the number of veterans who are homeless, and presents the results of studies regarding the demographic characteristics of homeless veterans as well as those served in VA homeless programs. The second section of this report summarizes the available research regarding the overrepresentation of both male and female veterans, who have been found to be present in greater percentages in the homeless population than their percentages in the general population. The third section of this report discusses programs to fund services and transitional housing specifically for homeless veterans.
- Housing for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
- This report describes recent research that shows how housing and health status are related and the effects of stable housing on patient health. It also describes the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, the only federal program that provides housing and services specifically for persons who are HIV positive or who have AIDS, together with their families. In addition, the report describes how a small portion of funds appropriated through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program may be used by states and local jurisdictions to provide short-term housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
- Housing for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
- This report describes research that shows how housing and health status are related and the effects of stable housing on patient health. It also describes the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, the only federal program that provides housing and services specifically for persons who are HIV positive or who have AIDS, together with their families. In addition, the report describes how a small portion of funds appropriated through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program may be used by states and local jurisdictions to provide short-term housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses the various aspects of the issue of homeless veterans. Researchers have found both male and female veterans to be overrepresented in the homeless population, and, as the number of veterans increased due to these conflicts, there was concern that the number of homeless veterans could rise commensurately.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan brought renewed attention to the needs of veterans, including the needs of homeless veterans. Researchers have found both male and female veterans to be overrepresented in the homeless population, and, as the number of veterans increased due to these conflicts, there was concern that the number of homeless veterans could rise commensurately. This report discusses the various aspects of this issue.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan brought renewed attention to the needs of veterans, including the needs of homeless veterans. Researchers have found both male and female veterans to be overrepresented in the homeless population, and, as the number of veterans increased due to these conflicts, there was concern that the number of homeless veterans could rise commensurately. This report discusses the various aspects of this issue.
- FEMA Disaster Housing: From Sheltering to Permanent Housing
- This report reviews standard disaster housing procedures as well as options that could be taken to improve disaster housing including increased FEMA/HUD cooperation, the use of the case management authority, the repair and renovation of private rental housing units, and the use of alternative manufactured housing.