Section
Prices, rents, supply, and affordability — who can still buy or rent where they work.
Housing|United States
A final rule in today’s Federal Register lets the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program back properties with one or more income-producing accessory dwelling units and homes designed for home-based businesses such as childcare or crafts. Lenders still cannot count expected ADU rent as borrower income.
Housing|United States
Signed 22 October and published in today’s Federal Register, the order asks the FHFA to have Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac test proactive cancellation of mortgage insurance using automated home valuations, to make their title-insurance waiver pilot for refinances a nationwide program, and to pass savings to borrowers. It also sets up a task force on manufactured and factory-built homes and tells USDA and VA to cut rates on their direct home loans. Most steps depend on the FHFA director’s judgment and on later agency action.
Housing|United States
In a Voluntary Compliance Agreement signed 20–21 October, Multnomah County, Oregon, and its Homeless Services Department agree to remove points for an applicant’s interest in culturally specific services within seven days and to rename “English as a second language” as “language barriers”. They must rescore pending households and reset Priority Housing Pool thresholds. The county denies the allegations, and the agreement is not a HUD finding.
Housing|Canada
CMHC and StatsCan data show completions rising — but not fast enough to close the gap between household formation and new stock in major metros.
Housing|Canada
CMHC Rental Market Survey data show vacancy rates in several metros still well below the ~3% band often associated with balanced markets.
