(RECAP: Banks’ share of FHA lending, which is designed to help low- to moderate-income buyers achieve homeownership, has been on the decline for the last three years, falling from 60 percent down to 22 percent, according to analysis from Laurie Goodman and Jim Parrott of the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center. Many banks are hesitant to take on FHA-insured mortgage loans because of, one, delinquent FHA loans are costly to service, and two, the lenders don’t want to be sued under some part of the Fake Claims Act. JPMorgan Chase largely withdrew from originating FHA loans in late 2015, citing the burdensome regulatory environment and the constant threat of litigation. What can be done to improve FHA lending by banks? Goodman and Parrott suggest that Ben Carson, or whomever is confirmed to be the new HUD Secretary, can start by removing the uncertainty around the Fake Claims Act.)

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(RECAP: New jobs are coming to Botetourt County, as many as 1,200 over the next five years. So where will all those workers live? That’s a crucial question for the county, and one that was raised Saturday during a strategic plotting session held by the board of supervisors. A shortage of affordable workforce housing has long been a concern in Botetourt. But the issue grew more pressing this year after Eldor Corp. announced it would build an automotive parts factory in the county’s Greenfield industrial park and Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits followed with plans for an East Coast brewery and distribution center. Those and other new employers, and the spinoff jobs they will generate, are expected to exacerbate the housing crunch. The county has commissioned Patz to study its housing needs and how they might be met. Although a final report is several weeks away, this much seemed clear Saturday: A county where many residents live in mid- to upper-priced houses surrounded by ample lots must now shift its focus to encouraging more affordable apartments and townhouses in higher-density settings.)

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(RECAP: 2,000 organizations and businesses are calling on the incoming Congress and Administration to prioritize the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) as they consider reforms to the nation’s tax code and investments in the nation’s infrastructure. The letter submitted on behalf of the ACTION Campaign urges policymakers to: 1) ensure that the Housing Credit and Housing Bonds are held up as positive examples of the power of the tax code to improve communities by maintaining their viability under tax reform; and 2) expand and strengthen the Housing Credit to increase the availability of safe and affordable housing and revitalize local economies. The House is currently working to draft comprehensive tax reform legislation based on the principles outlined in Speaker Paul Ryan’s tax reform blueprint, released this summer. The blueprint indicates that the majority of corporate tax expenditures may be eliminated in order to reduce corporate rates, and was silent on the Housing Credit and Housing Bonds.)

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