TO: IAHA Members and Associate Members

RE: Golf Outing 2009 (See photos)

In spite of having to play the last 14 holes of golf in the rain, cancelling the “Putting Contest” and moving the prize table, the 19th Hole, and our entertainment into the Rail Club House, the 1st Annual IAHA Golf Outing was a huge success! Everyone had a great time and we raised over $9,000 for the IAHA Scholarship Fund! I want to thank everyone involved for making this event such a great success.

First of all, I want to thank the Rail Golf Course, their staff, and all the golfers and non-golfers for your service, participation and support for this event. We had a tie for first place with two teams shooting rounds of 59. After a score card play off the team of Dave Wagner, Kevin Blaine, Tom Baker and John Wagner finished in first place. The team of Dan Snodgrass, Larry Sergent, Ted Bailey and Gene Hoffman finished second.  

Secondly, I want to thank our many Pin Sponsors; Architechnics Inc., Don Warrick of hudenergyaudits.us, Mike Niehaus of Windsor Homes Development Group, Mellotte, Morris, Leonatti, Parker, LTD, Sherri Richardson of Richardson Electric, Scott Cowdrey of Cowdry & German Designed Architecture Inc., Mark Lablang of James Childs Architects, Steve Oliver of BLDD Architects, Levi & Gary Cutler of Retirement Plan Advisors, Tom Baker and Rich Garber of Hurst – Rosche Architects, Eric Hanson of Mahoney, Silverman & Cross,    Phil Champley of Champley Floor Covering, Tim Hickey of Core Construction, Gary Edwards of Country Companies, Barnes Lumber Co., Walker & Associates, Harrisburg Supply and the American Legion Post 169. We raised $1,500 from our Pin Sponsors alone.

Thirdly, a very special thank you to all of our activity sponsors: Mickey Reynders and AHRMA for sponsoring a fantastic dinner by Fema’s, Mark Dillon of Eggemeyer & Associates and Ralph Burzynski of Burzynski Financial Group for sponsoring the 19th Hole, Ken Krupp, Lori Zachman and the staff from Life Associates for sponsoring the Beverage Cart, helping to stuff “Goodie Bags”, and working the “Betting Hole” in the rain, Dan Snodgrass of AXA Advisors and Larry Pusateri of the Lighten – Gale Group for sponsoring lunch, John Marley of Siemens for sponsoring the  golf lesson, and our own Peg Barkley for sponsoring the entertainment. Your financial support was key to our success and will make a difference in the lives of our college bound residents.

Last, but most definitely not least, I want to thank my Golf Committee; IAHA President Kate Barton, without your leadership on the IAHA Executive Board this event would not have been possible, IAHA and Golf Committee Treasurer Peg Barkley, IAHA Executive Board Member Anne Smith and their wonderful staff for working the registration table, selling mulligans, 50/50 and raffle tickets, and collecting money for skins, and to Mike Niehaus and Dan Snodgrass for their guidance and experience in organizing events like ours. We have already set a date and started planning for next year’s IAHA Golf Outing which will be held on August 6th, 2010 at the Edgewood Golf Course in Auburn, Illinois.  

Again, thanks to everyone for your support and “remember that swing!”

Fred Clinton, Chairman
IAHA Golf Committee                    

IAHA News

HUD Reinstates Flexible Rent Policy for Units with Both Project-Based Vouchers and Tax Credits. HUD published a final rule revising the low income housing tax credit rent provisions of HUD’s project-based voucher program regulations (24 C.F.R. §983.304) to be effective December 19, 2007. This rule reinstates the former practice of allowing rents paid to owners of units assisted with both project-based vouchers and tax credits in qualified census tracts (QCTs) to be the higher of the fair market rent (FMR) or the tax credit rent. The regulation had been changed in 2005 to cap rents at tax-credit levels. The new rule also re-emphasizes the requirement that public housing authorities (PHAs) may not enter into assistance contracts until HUD or an independent entity approved by HUD has conducted the required subsidy layering review and determined that the assistance is in accordance with HUD requirements. The final rule can be found here.

HR 3074 is the appropriations bill for the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.

After passing both the Senate and House on November 14, 2007, a conference committee is created to work out differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill. A conference report resolving those differences passed in the House of Representatives, paving the way for enactment of the bill, by roll call vote.

Section 32 Homeownership Program HUD has provided PHAs with the tools and flexibility to develop programs that are tailored to meet the needs of local communities.  One avenue to pursue homeownership is through the Section 32 Homeownership program (also known as public housing homeownership).  The HUD regulations for this program are found in 24 CFR, Chapter 906 (replacing Section 5(h)).

Under Section 32, a PHA may:
(1) sell all or a portion of a public housing development to eligible public or non-public housing residents,
(2) provide Capital Fund assistance to public housing families to purchase homes, or
(3) provide Capital Fund assistance to acquire homes that will be sold to low-income families. 

• The PHA must submit a Section 32 program proposal to HUD’s Special Applications Center for approval BEFORE the HA can start the program.  The PHA must demonstrate its commitment and capability to successfully implement the Homeownership program.
  
• Eligible purchasers earn up to 80% of Area Median Family Income (AMI).
  
• The unit must be affordable for the purchaser.
  
• Sold unit must be used as principal residence of family.
  
• Purchasers must pay a minimum downpayment.

Waiting for Subsidized Housing in Illinois: New Study Highlights Increasing Backlog The demand in Illinois for public housing units is more than double the supply, and more than half of the state’s public housing authorities that offer Housing Choice Vouchers have closed their waiting lists to needy families, according to a recent study by the Heartland Alliance. The study, entitled Not Even a Place in Line: Public Housing & Housing Choice Voucher Capacity and Waiting Lists in Illinois, evaluated the Illinois housing authorities’ waiting lists for public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers and found that most are closed to new applicants. View the full article and study here.