Director's Message
We are now awaiting the building of The National Museum of African American History and Culture dedicated to telling the stories and celebrating the achievements of African American heroes from all walks of Life.
This museum will include major exhibitions on slavery, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movement, and commemorate many other historical events about African American History and Culture.
This Museum will be located among the other Smithsonian museums on the National Mall occupying a five acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument. It is a fitting tribute to the countless number of African American's whose hands built the Nation's capital that this museum will be the last one built on the National Mall.
The United States Congress has agreed to provide half of the Museum's $500 million cost. The additional $250 million dollars needed to complete the building of the Museum must be raised from private donations. We encourage all members and supporters of Noaah to contribute to this history about us. You may send your donations to:
The National Museum of African American and Culture
PO. Box 96832, Washington DC 20090-6832
Remember that Freedom is not Free.
Floyd O. May
In September of 2011 The Nation celebrated the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the banks of the Tidal Basin between the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials.
Noaah Managing Director
We Are NOAAH!
HUD Studies Show Housing Counseling Helps Families Prepare For Homeownership And Keep The Homes They Have
FOR RELEASE
Wednesday
May 16, 2012
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released two reports on the impact of HUD-approved housing counseling has for those families who purchase their first homes and those struggling to prevent foreclosure. In both studies, HUD found housing counseling significantly improved the likelihood homeowners remained in their homes.
Needy States Use Housing Aid Cash to Plug Budgets
By SHAILA DEWAN
Hundreds of millions of dollars meant to provide a little relief to the nation’s struggling homeowners is being diverted to plug state budget gaps.
We Need to Permanently Extend Protections for Renters at Foreclosure
Please urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3619 to ensure that tenants continue to be protected at foreclosure.
Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) has introduced legislation, the Permanently Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (H.R. 3619), that would make 2009’s Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) permanent law. Specifically, the bill would:
- Remove the 2014 PTFA sunset date.
- Add a private right of action to better ensure compliance with the law.
HUD Issues Guidance on Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act
HUD issued a notice, “Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act: Additional Guidance on Notification Responsibilities under the Act with respect to Occupied Conveyance,” on March 15.
Typically, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requires that an FHA-insured property be vacant when it is conveyed to FHA after a foreclosure. FHA does allow for the occupied conveyance of properties in certain limited cases, such as when the individual residing in the property suffers from a temporary, permanent, or long-term illness or injury that would be aggravated by the process of moving from the property, or when State or local law prohibits the eviction of a tenant who is making regular monthly payments to the mortgagor (see Memo, 10/29/2010).
When the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) was enacted in May 2009, many stakeholders were unclear how the rights afforded to tenants under the PTFA would interact with the FHA occupied conveyance regulations. To address and clarify the relationship between the occupied conveyance regulations and the PTFA, HUD issued guidance on October 28, 2010. The March 15 guidance aims to provide further clarification between FHA regulations and tenants rights under the PTFA.
The March 15 notice reaffirms that mortgagees must comply with the PFTA. The notice states “before completion of foreclosure, the mortgagee must confirm the identity of all occupants, determine each occupant’s possible rights for continued occupancy under the PTFA and state or local law, and attempt to obtain documentation of existing leases and tenancies.”
The notice provides a sample “Notice to occupants of pending acquisition” (NOPA) that provides notice of a possible conveyance, and a summary of conditions when a tenant may have the right to stay in the property under the occupied conveyance regulations. The notice requires that mortgagees begin to use an updated NOPA, that is in compliance with the PTFA, state, or local law, by July 1.
If it is determined that occupied conveyance does not apply, the mortgagee is required to determine if the PTFA, state, or local protections apply, and comply with all relevant laws.
Advocates will continue to work with FHA to ensure that future notices regarding the occupied conveyance clearly inform tenants of their rights under the PTFA.
The notice is available at: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-06297_PI.pdf
The FY 2013 Budget and Public Housing
The Obama Administration has released its Fiscal Year 2013 budget, and in an era in which tight discretionary spending budget cuts are starting to kick in, it could have been a lot worse, in areas such as public housing.
HUD Studies Show Housing Counseling Helps Families Prepare For Homeownership And Keep The Homes They Have
FOR RELEASE
Wednesday
May 16, 2012
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released two reports on the impact of HUD-approved housing counseling has for those families who purchase their first homes and those struggling to prevent foreclosure. In both studies, HUD found housing counseling significantly improved the likelihood homeowners remained in their homes.
Needy States Use Housing Aid Cash to Plug Budgets
By SHAILA DEWAN
Hundreds of millions of dollars meant to provide a little relief to the nation’s struggling homeowners is being diverted to plug state budget gaps.
We Need to Permanently Extend Protections for Renters at Foreclosure
Please urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3619 to ensure that tenants continue to be protected at foreclosure.
Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) has introduced legislation, the Permanently Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (H.R. 3619), that would make 2009’s Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) permanent law. Specifically, the bill would:
- Remove the 2014 PTFA sunset date.
- Add a private right of action to better ensure compliance with the law.
HUD Studies Show Housing Counseling Helps Families Prepare For Homeownership And Keep The Homes They Have
FOR RELEASE
Wednesday
May 16, 2012
HUD Studies Show Housing Counseling Helps Families Prepare For Homeownership And Keep The Homes They Have
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released two reports on the impact of HUD-approved housing counseling has for those families who purchase their first homes and those struggling to prevent foreclosure. In both studies, HUD found housing counseling significantly improved the likelihood homeowners remained in their homes.
Needy States Use Housing Aid Cash to Plug Budgets
By SHAILA DEWAN
HUD Issues Guidance on Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act
Typically, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requires that an FHA-insured property be vacant when it is conveyed to FHA after a foreclosure. FHA does allow for the occupied conveyance of properties in certain limited cases, such as when the individual residing in the property suffers from a temporary, permanent, or long-term illness or injury that would be aggravated by the process of moving from the property, or when State or local law prohibits the eviction of a tenant who is making regular monthly payments to the mortgagor (see Memo, 10/29/2010).
When the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) was enacted in May 2009, many stakeholders were unclear how the rights afforded to tenants under the PTFA would interact with the FHA occupied conveyance regulations. To address and clarify the relationship between the occupied conveyance regulations and the PTFA, HUD issued guidance on October 28, 2010. The March 15 guidance aims to provide further clarification between FHA regulations and tenants rights under the PTFA.
The March 15 notice reaffirms that mortgagees must comply with the PFTA. The notice states “before completion of foreclosure, the mortgagee must confirm the identity of all occupants, determine each occupant’s possible rights for continued occupancy under the PTFA and state or local law, and attempt to obtain documentation of existing leases and tenancies.”
The notice provides a sample “Notice to occupants of pending acquisition” (NOPA) that provides notice of a possible conveyance, and a summary of conditions when a tenant may have the right to stay in the property under the occupied conveyance regulations. The notice requires that mortgagees begin to use an updated NOPA, that is in compliance with the PTFA, state, or local law, by July 1.
If it is determined that occupied conveyance does not apply, the mortgagee is required to determine if the PTFA, state, or local protections apply, and comply with all relevant laws.
Advocates will continue to work with FHA to ensure that future notices regarding the occupied conveyance clearly inform tenants of their rights under the PTFA.
The notice is available at: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-06297_PI.pdf
The FY 2013 Budget and Public Housing
NOAAH PRIORITIES FOR 2012
2012 promises to be a very exciting and challenging year for the nation as well as for NOAAH. The 2012 presidential election is months away. Once again the nation must determine what are the most pressing issues that both political parties must be accountable to address in the development of their agenda to lead the nation.
Recent national surveys show that 54 percent of the population polled believe that jobs and unemployment is the most important issue, while half of that total 27 percent, believe that "housing" is the most important issue.
As has been our practice in previous elections, NOAAH will be very aggressive in its interactions with both political parties to insure that the interests of people of color are included in the development of their policies.
NOAAH has identified 10 organization priorities for 2012:
-
NOAAH Membership Drive
-
Voter Registration
-
Full Funding for Public Housing
-
Funding for Resident Service Activities
-
Ensuring that Residents are allowed to serve as Board Members on PHA Boards
-
Advocate for the establishment of Statutory as well as regulatory authority for Section 3
-
The development of a universal resident screening process for admission into public housing
-
Support for more PHAs to be given MTW status
-
Requiring community service for PHA residents
-
Mandatory Conversions
While we will devote our energy and resources to engage in all 10 of these priorities, the first 2 priorities: NOAAH Membership Drive and Voter registration will be our most significant focus.
We encourage you to visit the NOAAH website frequently to obtain critical information and updates regarding NOAAH activities and accomplishments. As we go forward to accomplish this year's work plan, we need your committment as NOAAH members to:
- Renew your personal NOAAH membership (click here to apply for membership)
- Solicit a minimum of 5 new NOAAH memberships (click here to apply for membership)
- identify and assist 10 people to become registered voters (click here for voter registration forms)
I want to wish you a very happy and blessed 2012 New Year.
— Floyd O. May, NOAAH Managing Director
-
NOAAH Membership Drive
-
Voter Registration
-
Full Funding for Public Housing
-
Funding for Resident Service Activities
-
Ensuring that Residents are allowed to serve as Board Members on PHA Boards
-
Advocate for the establishment of Statutory as well as regulatory authority for Section 3
-
The development of a universal resident screening process for admission into public housing
-
Support for more PHAs to be given MTW status
-
Requiring community service for PHA residents
-
Mandatory Conversions
- Renew your personal NOAAH membership (click here to apply for membership)
- Solicit a minimum of 5 new NOAAH memberships (click here to apply for membership)
- identify and assist 10 people to become registered voters (click here for voter registration forms)
Click to view photos from the conference. For more information on the conference photos, you may contact Cheriss at cheriss@cherissmay.com