Affordable housing bonds

Housing advocates are resuming a fracas with the federal government over Build America, Buy America requirements they claim are slowing down efforts to build more affordable housing, which relies on private activity bonds.

A bill to provide state credit support for housing finance and another to create an infrastructure bank were placed in the legislature's suspense file.

Changes in how Low-Income Housing Tax Credits are awarded has bond attorneys searching for answers in government offices that have been hollowed out through layoffs and retirements.

Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are beginning to take effect as the FHFA has doubled the cap on Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which should boost the issuance of private activity bonds.

Mayors and city leaders are using a combination of bond financing and public private partnerships to build and preserve affordable housing while working with a patchwork of regulations and facing opposition.

To borrow an additional $70 billion, Mamdani would need state approval, said Howard Cure, director of municipal bond research at Evercore Wealth Management.

"This case involves the discovery of a massive Ponzi-like fraud orchestrated by former GHA executive director Robert Cappelletti," plaintiffs GHA and Greater Groton Realty Corp., a non-profit affiliate of the GHA, said in an April court filing. 

The bond panel approved $215 million in public facilities revenue bonds and $125 million in housing bonds.

This is the first time the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority is bringing a PAC tranche in several years.

Facing big demand for housing, the state's efforts to spur development have spurred litigation by cities challenging recent laws and a compliance crackdown.