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Biden Administration Announces Steps to Lower Electricity Bills for Residents in HUD Programs

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The combination of extreme heat and rising utility prices creates a perfect storm, and HUD-assisted families and communities are some of the most vulnerable,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “The steps announced today by the Biden Administration will not only help families reduce utility costs, but also provide an opportunity for HUD-assisted residents to participate in the clean energy economy through local community solar programs.”

Published

3 years ago

August 3, 2022

Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire

The Biden Administration, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced new measures to connect families served by HUD programs to solar power and help lower their electricity bills.

Over 4.5 million low-income families are currently served by HUD programs. In addition to today’s announcement, HUD will continue to connect and convene stakeholders in regional and local offices to highlight federal funding sources – including funding streams from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and HUD programs such as Home Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant HOME and CDBG that can be used to improve energy efficiency and lower utility costs for communities including HUD-assisted properties and residents.

“The combination of extreme heat and rising utility prices creates a perfect storm, and HUD-assisted families and communities are some of the most vulnerable,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge.

“The steps announced today by the Biden Administration will not only help families reduce utility costs, but also provide an opportunity for HUD-assisted residents to participate in the clean energy economy through local community solar programs.”

Below is information about how HUD will leverage specific programs and take new steps to help ease energy cost burdens through Community Solar, HUD’s Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base Utility Program, FHA’s 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program, FHA’s Financing and Energy Efficient and Climate Mitigation Home Improvements, and FHA Education and Outreach.

New Guidance to Connect Families to Solar Power

HUD is issuing national guidance to help ensure that residents of assisted housing can access cost-saving community solar subscriptions.

With this guidance, HUD sets the stage for 4.5 million families to reap the benefits of community solar which, on average, can save families 10% per year on their electric bills. In some programs, such as the Washington, DC Solar for All program, savings from subscribing to local community solar can reach up to 50% per year.

This national guidance builds on recent state-specific guidance that HUD has provided to Illinois, Washington, DC, and New York, that determined community-net-metering (CNM) credits would be excluded from household income and utility allowance calculations and therefore not increase housing costs for residents in properties participating in HUD Multifamily, Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance programs.

Guidance can be found HERE.

Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base Utility Program

Last year, HUD implemented new statutory changes creating a new energy and water savings incentive program for Small Rural housing authorities.

The Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base program enables small rural housing authorities to retain utility cost savings from efficiency or capital investments from conservation measures.

Now, HUD is launching an educational campaign and partnership to encourage broader usage of the incentive and help housing authorities partner with Weatherization providers to access low-cost energy efficiency measures.

HUD will make public a list of eligible Rural housing authorities, as well as a list of buildings owned or operated by those Housing Authorities that meet the new categorical income eligibility requirements for the Department of Energy Weatherization program. Leading up to the September deadline for new applicants for the Frozen Rolling Base program, HUD will maximize outreach efforts to ensure eligible housing authorities are aware of the savings opportunities.

Read more about the Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base program here and see list of Eligible Public Housing Authorities here. The list of properties meeting income eligibility requirements for the Department of Energy’s Weatherization program is available here.

FHA’s 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program

Given the urgent need for utility cost savings, HUD is working to educate lenders and homebuyers about the products the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offers for energy-related improvements that may help homeowners reduce their utility costs.

The 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance program is FHA’s primary program for the rehabilitation and repair of single-family properties. It is flexible and makes it easy to incorporate the costs of repairs into a loan when purchasing a home or refinancing a current mortgage. The eligible improvements include energy efficiency upgrades, energy-saving equipment, and energy generation improvements. The Limited 203(k) Mortgage permits homebuyers and homeowners to finance up to $35,000 into their mortgage to repair, improve, or upgrade their home. In Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ), the amount is up to $50,000 per home, enough to make a range of important and cost saving energy improvements.

FHA Education and Outreach

HUD Homeownership Centers offer training sessions on FHA products, programs, and policies throughout the year which includes the 203(k), Energy Efficient Mortgage, Weatherization, and Solar and Wind programs. These trainings are offered live and may be recorded; an example is the 2022 Single Family Housing Lender Training – Credit Underwriting: Session II (located here) conducted in June.
FHA is considering ways to make it easier for lenders and consumers to use the 203(k) Rehabilitation-Mortgage Program to make a range of home improvements, including those related to climate mitigation and energy efficiency improvements. When these changes are in place, FHA will execute a robust education and outreach plan to update consumers and lenders.
FHA is working with the appraisal community to develop strategies to ensure single family appraisers are aware of approaches for valuing energy- and hazard-mitigation-related improvements.

Contact an FHA-approved lender for more information on the Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Program or visit HUD’s 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program web page.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Remembering George Floyd

Published

5 days ago

May 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Oakland Post

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

7 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

Oakland Post

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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

Published

7 days ago

May 23, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.