Summary of Key Changes in Third Revision of RAD Notice

The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) issued a summary of key changes important to residents in the third revision of the Notice implementing the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD). Notice PIH-2012-32 (HA)/H-2017-03, REV-3 effectively serves as the “regulations” governing implementation and administration of RAD (see Memo, 1/17).

The NHLP summary highlights nine changes to RAD Component I, which governs public housing property conversions to either project-based vouchers (PBVs) or project-based rental assistance (PBRA). For instance, the revised RAD Notice seeks to improve the quality of information that must be provided to residents of public housing proposed for RAD conversion. At the two meetings with residents required prior to a public housing agency (PHA) applying to HUD for a RAD conversion, the revised Notice now requires PHAs to discuss whether:

  • The conversion will permanently move residents to another location;
  • Another entity will have an ownership interest in the property once it is converted; and
  • There will be a change in the number or configuration of assisted units that prevents a household from returning after temporarily moving during renovation.

The summary also highlights five changes to RAD Component II, which governs privately owned multifamily properties assisted under the Rent Supplement (Rent Supp), Rental Assistance Program (RAP), Moderate Rehabilitation (Mod Rehab), and Mod Rehab Single Room Occupancy (SRO) programs.

The purpose of RAD is to preserve and improve low income housing by enabling PHAs to leverage Section 8 rental assistance contracts to raise private debt and equity for public housing capital improvements. Component I allows up to 185,000 public housing units to be converted to PBVs or to PBRA by September 30, 2018. Component II allows private properties assisted through the Rent Supp, RAP, Mod Rehab, and Mod Rehab SRO programs to convert an unlimited number of Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPVs) to PBRA or, as of the FY15 Appropriations Act, to PBVs.

NHLP’s summary is at: http://bit.ly/2k3ofAo

PIH 2012-32/H 2017-03 REV-3 is at: http://bit.ly/2ipEF3v, and a redline version showing the changes in the Notice is at: http://bit.ly/2ilCquQ

More information about RAD is on page 4-13 of NLIHC’s 2016 Advocates’ Guide at: http://bit.ly/22QZiEm, on the NHLP’s website at: http://nhlp.org/RAD, and on a website created by NLHP and the American Federation of State, Country, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) at: www.rad-watch.org