Melora Hiller (the Network), Jaimie Ross (Florida Low Income Housing Coalition), Brian Pine (City of Burlington), and Van Temple (Crescent City CLT & Network's Research & Policy Development Committee member) met in-person with FHA leadership on March 20, 2013, to discuss progress on the proposed waiver and policy changes that would increase access for FHA-insured mortgages for buyers of shared equity homes. FHA continued to communicate their commitment to addressing this issue. FHA is currently conducting a risk analysis profile of shared equity mortgages to support their request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a waiver of regulations. Assuming that their evaluation yields adequate and positive performance findings, the waiver will be proposed and OMB will have 90 days to approve or reject FHA's proposed waiver or request additional information.

NLIHC's Mortgage Interest Deduction Proposal Makes It in Bill To Fund National Housing Trust Fund: Act Now!

• Lower the cap on the amount of mortgage for which interest can be deducted from $1 million to $500,000, and allow home equity loans and second homes under the $500,000 cap.
• Convert the mortgage interest deduction to a 15% non-refundable mortgage interest tax credit.
• Phase in the two changes above over five years.
• Direct $109 billion in savings to the National Housing Trust Fund over 10 years.

H.R. 1213 would direct additional savings toward the LIHTC ($14 billion), Section 8 ($54 billion), and the Public Housing Capital Fund ($18 billion). So, this is a bill that serves the interests of all affordable housing advocates. The bill needs a large number of co-sponsors to succeed. The Network, in support of National Low Income Housing Coalition, requests that you contact your Representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 1213 today.

1. Call the Congressional switchboard at 877-210-5351 and ask to be connected to your Representative's office. You also can visit NLIHC's website and enter your zip code on the right side to find your Representative's number.
2. Please send an email to both the Network and NLIHC (Emily@cltnetwork.org; outreach@nlihc.org) and let us know how your call went. 

1. Community Economic Development
   (CED), a federal grant program funding Community Development Corporations that address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families through the creation of sustainable business development and employment opportunities. Grant deadline TBA.
2. CED's Healthy Food Financing Initiative
   grants, which support projects that increase access to healthy, affordable food in communities that currently lack these options Grant deadline TBA.
3. Assets for Independence, a community-based approach for giving low-income families a hand up out of poverty through IDA programs. Grant application May 24, 2013.

Presents