MHP Partners with come dream. come build. in Texas

Casitas Lantana in Brownsville, TX

MHP and come dream. come build. (cdcb) are working together to make connections with rural communities in the lower Rio Grande Valley, with a goal of bringing them programs and services. This nonprofit community housing development organization (CHDO) provides safe, sanitary, affordable housing to the citizens of South Texas, and are now one of the largest nonprofit producers of single‐family housing for homeownership in the state, while also developing many multifamily LIHTC projects.

The targeted area for the project includes several colonias, a word which comes from the Spanish term for a residential neighborhood. Living conditions in these communities varies, and some have been annexed into nearby towns. Common challenges include substandard housing and infrastructure.

As the partnership grows, MHP's Community Development team will conduct research and interviews to identify potential affordable housing partners and stakeholders, provide GIS mapping, help convene a housing advisory group, and facilitate a housing needs assessment for one of the colonias communities. For the project, MHP will visit the area in December!

A nationwide leader in collaborating with rural and Native communities around the US, MHP’s community development team works directly with communities, regions, and organizations to build capacity, local knowledge, and leadership to attract resources and overcome impediments to successful housing and community development projects. If your community is interested in one-on-one FREE technical assistance to create and preserve housing assets, we encourage you to apply for our Request for Technical Assistance.

EDI Hosts Housing and Economic Development Workshop in Crookston, MN

MHP’s Emerging Developers Initiative (EDI) held a housing and economic development workshop for NW Minnesota and Tribal Nations in Crookston, MN this week: Where Are All Those Workers Driving in From and Why Can’t They Live Here? For more information on the EDI which supports the emergence and professional development of new housing developers from rural communities and Tribal Nations, contact Donald Googleye, Community Development Manager at donald.goggleye@mhponline.org.

Panelists at the EDI Workshop in Crookston, MN

Mark Borseth

Community Development Consultant, City of Thief River Falls;

Karie Kirschbaum

Economic Development Director, City of Crookston;

Anna Sheppard

President, White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC);

Mitch Berg

Associate Director of UMC’s Veden Center for Rural Development;

Elizabeth Glidden

Deputy Executive Director, MHP

On Oct. 7, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final and temporary regulations for the average income test (AIT). 

The new rules contain vitally necessary improvements to the administration of the newest low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) minimum set-aside. The new guidance provides clearer direction that allows LIHTC projects to better serve extremely low income households, provided the average income of the project is 60%. 

NLIHC has released a Fall and Winter advocacy toolkit. This resource is designed to provide housers with the tools to reach out to members of Congress on FY23 appropriations for housing, LIHTC reforms and funding, and other priorities. 

President Biden has released a progress report on the Administration’s May 2022 Housing Supply Action Plan. Items of progress include finalizing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit income averaging rule and extending the placed-in-service deadlines for affordable housing development seeking housing tax credits. You can read the progress report here.