WI-CARH Spring 2022
Newsletter
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Message from Russell Kaney WI-CARH President |
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Spring is a Time of Renewal
Have you been looking forward to spring? It seems that each season takes on its own pace, the month of March was no different. We were teased by those 60- and 70-degree days only to see the 30’s and 40’s return. My coatrack reflects the season, winter and spring jackets are at the ready.
I do not think I am going out on a limb by stating that 2022 will be different, at least compared to the last two years. The pandemic caused many adjustments to daily life, work schedules, and work venue. If you were not willing to adapt and be flexible, you probably got left behind.
WI-CARH has persisted through the last two years witnessing the changes from in-person to virtual meetings, a major reorganization of the Rural Development multi-family delivery systems, and continuing to educate, advocate and collaborate for rural housing programs and the funding needed to maintain a healthy rural America.
Training your workforce is key to a healthy company. Continuing education not only helps new staff feel confident in their work responsibilities, it also is useful for seasoned staff to stay updated on trends and policy changes.
With this in mind, WI-CARH has scheduled our spring training session for April 27 and 28 with an in-person session led by US Housing Consultants. Look for more detail in this newsletter. With an eye to this fall, don’t forget to pencil in the date of October 27th for our annual conference to be held at The Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells.
As always, if you have suggestions for future trainings or a particular subject you want covered at the fall conference, drop us a note. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you later this year.
Russell Kaney
President
WI-CARH
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Sign up for WI-CARH's Spring Training |
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WI-CARH Spring Training
Conquering USDA/RD Compliance
April 27-28, 2022
Please join us for an engaging education seminar on Conquering USDA/RD Compliance on April 27 and 28 at the Madison Marriott West, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, in Middleton, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Council for Affordable & Rural Housing (WI-CARH) is proud to team up with US Housing Consultants for their expertise and excellent training services.
Training will be on the following topics with additional topics to be included:
- Program Information and Project Requirements
- Marketing and Tenant Selection
- Determining Asset Income
- Determining Income
- Adjusted Income
- Determining Rent and Assigning RA
- Certifications and Leasing
- Agency Monitoring
- Ineligible Tenants and Tenant Grievances
RD A.C.E. Certification
All attendees will have the option of taking the USHC Rural Development Accredited Compliance Expert Designation. The RD ACE Certification is a specialized designation for affordable housing management professionals working with RD's Multifamily programs. Professionals holding this designation have demonstrated a thorough understanding of determining household eligibility and rent for RD's Multifamily Housing programs. The ACE certification exam is an optional exam offered online after the course. There is no additional fee for the exam. The exam is done online and you have two weeks after the training to take the exam.
Schedule
Day 1 - 8:15 am - 4:15 pm
Day 2 - 8:15 am - 3:45 pm
The speaker will be Amanda Lee Gross
Ms. Gross has eighteen years of hard-won, real-world knowledge and experience in all aspects of the affordable housing industry. She has learned the affordable housing industry from the ground up, starting as a site manager, eventually rising to the position of Compliance Director for a multi-state, 5,000+ unit management company. Ms. Gross has leveraged that experience and became a nationally recognized expert trainer in Fair Housing, LIHTC, RD, HUD, and HOME. Over the last eight years, she has conducted hundreds of training nationwide and has provided consulting services to State Housing Finance Agencies, Public Housing Authorities, management companies, and developers.
Ms. Gross is a featured speaker at numerous industry events every year. She also provides custom-tailored training to private organizations that understand that highly-trained staff is more effective and better able to protect the assets and reputation of companies. She also works in a consulting capacity, advising clients in the development of their policies and procedures, optimizing project compliance performance, and addressing audit findings.
Fees
WI-CARH Members: $425
Non-Members: $475
Each attendee will receive an RD Compliance Manual and that is a $40 value that is included in the registration fee.
Location of Spring Training and Hotel
The spring training will be held at the Madison Marriott West Hotel and Conference Center, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton, WI 53562. For Hotel Reservations you can either book at the Madison Marriott West at 608-831-2000 where the training session will take place. A block of rooms has been reserved at Comfort Inn and Suites at 1253 John Q Hammons Drive which is less than 1/2 block from the Madison Marriott West. Please call the Comfort Inn and Suites directly at 608-836-3033, press '2' to book your room, and ask for the WI-CARH Room Block to receive the special discounted rate of $119 plus tax. The deadline to reserve at the special rate is April 6, 2022.
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Be a Sponsor and/or an Exhibitor at WI-CARH's Spring Training |
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We would like to invite you to join us as a Sponsor and/or an exhibitor at WI-CARH's Spring Training on April 27 and 28. The topic of the training is Conquering USDA/RD Compliance.
For more information or to register, please fill out the form. Contact the WI-CARH office at info@wicarh.org for more information.
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Thank you to our Spring Training Sponsors and Exhibitors |
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Please click on the logos to go
to the websites
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Joaquin Altoro Named Rural Development Administrator |
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WI-CARH congratulates Joaquin Altoro for his recent appointment as the Administrator of the Rural Housing Service, USDA. Named by President Biden and Secretary Vilsack to this important position, Joaquin will oversee a number of rural development policy and funding programs including single-family and multi-family housing platforms.
Joaquin leaves the position of CEO and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) having served in that capacity since June 2019.
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United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development |
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RD’s Section 521 Rental Assistance (RA) Program will be funded at $1.450 billion. While on the surface this appears to be an increase in funding over the FY 2021 level, funding is flat because $40 million of the $1.450 billion is to remain available through FY 2023 in order that RD, in the case of a CR, can fund RA contracts that renew in the beginning months of FY 2023 (October-December). As in the last three appropriations bills, language has again been included that would allow for RA contracts to be 20 years, subject to annual appropriations. CARH has been very supportive of this language, but thus far RD has not implemented this provision. RA contracts tend to be less well known to non-Section 538 lenders and to Housing Credit equity providers and the one-year term is often an issue. RD’s consistent funding has been a strong due diligence point for lenders and investors. However, it isn’t lost on developers that these financing entities price in the costs of risk and due diligence, increasing costs of development, much of which could be solved with the 20-year subsidy contract like HUD uses.
Section 542 Rural Housing Vouchers would be funded at $45 million and, as in FY 2021, has its own budget line item. Prior to FY 2021, vouchers were funded under the Multifamily Housing Preservation (MPR) program. The MPR program would be funded at $34 million, a slight increase from $28 million in FY 2021. Budget authority for the Section 538 Guarantee Loan program would be $250 million, a $20 million increase from FY 2021. Section 515 funding would be $50 million, an increase of $10 million.
Please click on this link for the funding chart that was created using information from the Housing Assistance Council and the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
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Youth Grant and Scholarship Opportunities |
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Wisconsin Council for Affordable & Rural Housing (WI-CARH) is accepting applications for the Youth Grant and Scholarship program. Please spread the word and help us make a difference in a student's future! Youth grants in the amount not to exceed $500 per student, per year, until all funds are used, will be awarded to enable students in grades 3-12 to participate in an academic enrichment activity. Eligible activities include: Little League, Soccer, Volleyball or Basketball Leagues, 4H Camp, Music or Band Camp, Sports Camp, Cheerleading Camp, Girl Scouts or Boy Scout Camp, and an International Youth Exchange Program. These activities are on a year-round basis and not limited to the summer.
Help your residents achieve their educational goals. A $500 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior or adult wishing to further their education. Eligible applicants can use the scholarship at any two (2) year or higher accredited public or private school in the State of Wisconsin which offers an associate or undergraduate degree or a vocational/technical program.
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Mark Your Calendars - 2022 Dates |
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April 27-28: WI-CARH Spring Training
Conquering USDA/RD Compliance - Madison Marriott West Hotel and Conference Center
May 17, 2022: Board Meeting
September 13, 2022: Board Meeting
October 27-28, 2022: 23rd Annual WI-CARH Conference & Board Meeting, Wilderness Territory, Wisconsin Dells
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Do you have news to share?
We would love to hear about it!
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