PD&R Edge Elist 01/15/2013

New on The Edge

Message from PD&R Senior Leadership:
Boom Town Effects of New Oil and Gas Exploration on Local Housing Markets
As technological advances in oil and gas exploration fuel energy booms across the country, the housing markets in many communities have been dramatically impacted. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Kurt Usowski discusses PD&R’s Gas and Oil Task Force, and the work being done to understand the effects of oil and gas drilling on local housing markets.

In Practice:
Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Area Plan Makes Affordable Housing a Priority
Planners in Arlington County, Virginia are working to ensure that the redevelopment of the bustling Columbia Pike corridor does not come at the expense of affordable housing. The Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Area Plan places the preservation and creation of affordable housing along the corridor as a key element in the revitalization efforts.

Research:
Expediting Housing Development for the Elderly
The Section 202 Demonstration Predevelopment Grant program was designed to accelerate the development of affordable housing for low-income seniors by providing funding for qualifying predevelopment costs. HUD’s new study, “Evaluation of the Section 202 Demonstration Predevelopment Grant Program,” examines how effectively the program has sped up the predevelopment process.

Policy Update:
Paths to Homeownership for Low-Income and Minority Households
As the country continues to recover from the Great Recession, homeownership remains an important vehicle for building and accumulating wealth. The most recent issue of Evidence Matters explores the importance, and challenges, of homeownership for low-income and minority households.

Statistical Reports:
Housing Scorecard December 2012
The December Scorecard shows important progress for the housing market in many key indicators — although officials caution that there is regional variation. The FHFA and Case-Shiller housing price indices were up 5.6 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively, from one year ago. The Administration’s recovery efforts continue with more than 1.4 million homeowner assistance actions having taken place through the Making Home Affordable Program, while the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has offered more than 1.5 million loss mitigation and early delinquency interventions through November.