PUBLICATIONS
HUD Publishes New Resources for the AFFH Rule
HUD has published the following new resources related to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule:
Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) Assessment Tool
The Fair Housing Planning Process Under the AFFH Rule
AFFH Raw Data for the Data and Mapping Tool
View the full collection of AFFH Resources and Training Material
Educational attainment rates were lower for rural minorities in 2014
Higher educational attainment is closely tied to economic well-being—through higher earnings, lower unemployment, and lower poverty. While educational attainment in rural (non-metro) America has improved over time, rural areas still lag urban (metro) areas in educational attainment. Moreover, within rural areas, educational attainment varies across racial and ethnic categories. In general, minority populations within rural areas have lower average levels of educational attainment. About a quarter of adults age 25 and over in the rural Black and Native American/Alaskan Native populations, and 40 percent of rural Hispanics, had not completed high school or the equivalent in 2014. These shares are considerably higher than for rural Whites, with 13 percent lacking a high school diploma. Lower attainment levels for minorities may both reflect and contribute to high rates of poverty; poverty in childhood is highly correlated with lower academic success and graduation rates, while lower educational attainment is strongly associated with lower earnings in adulthood. This chart is found in the ERS publication, Rural America At A Glance, 2015 Edition, November 2015.
HUD's SHOP Program Under New Management!
HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) is pleased to announce the transfer of the oversight and management of the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) from the Office of Affordable Housing Programs to the Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED), under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, effective December 16, 2015. View the full announcement.
New Hospitals and Health Care Providers Join Successful, Cutting-edge Federal Initiative That Cuts Costs and Puts Patients at the Center of Their Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces the participants in its new Medicare Accountable Care Organization initiatives to improve healthcare quality and lower costs. Includes participants in a rural specific ACO model that is part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the ACO Investment Model (AIM).
Wholesome Wave and Navajo Nation Partner to Overcome Food Insecurity in Navajo Nation
Features a partnership between Wholesome Wave and Navajo Nation to improve access to healthy and nutritious food in an effort to address health disparities in remote parts of the Navajo nation.
In Rural Wyoming, Cops Learn New Skills To Deal With Mental Health Crises
Describes the Crisis Intervention Training being used in Wyoming and how it is preparing law enforcement officials for mental health crises since they are often the first emergency personnel to a scene of such a crisis, especially in rural areas.
Foundation Funding To Improve Rural Health Care
Provides a sampling of foundation funding that is supporting innovation in healthcare delivery in rural settings.
Author(s): Grantwatch
Location: Health Affairs, 35(1)
Date: 01/2016
Rural Medicare Advantage Plan Payment in 2015
Examines the impact of Medicare Advantage (MA) payment policy formula changes through the Affordable Care Act on MA plans and beneficiaries in rural and urban locations during 2014 and 2015.
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 12/2015
Thrive 2015: Office of Rural Health Annual Report
Provides an overview of the VA Office of Rural Health's programs and accomplishments in 2015 aimed to improve healthcare access for rural veterans. Includes statistics and data on rural veterans.
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
The dollar gained considerable strength in 2015
The value of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies strengthened considerably in 2015, accelerating a trend that began in 2011. The agricultural trade-weighted exchange rate is a broad measure of the value of the dollar against 79 foreign currencies, weighted by their share of U.S. agricultural exports. The dollar exchange rate affects the price of U.S. commodities in foreign markets, with a stronger dollar making U.S. products more expensive in terms of the local currency of importing countries. On the other hand, a stronger dollar makes U.S. imports less expensive in dollar terms. Since the dollar exchange rate affects the relative price of U.S. and foreign commodities in global markets, it can have important implications for agricultural trade. With the strengthening of the dollar in 2015, agricultural exports are expected to fall below 2014 levels, while imports are forecast to increase. ERS exchange rate projections used for the USDA Agricultural Projections to 2025 report (the current Agricultural Baseline) suggest the dollar will continue to gain strength—but at a slower pace—in 2016 and 2017, before trending lower from 2018 through 2025. This chart is based on the International Macroeconomic Data Set.
EVENTS
CDFA Legislative Front: SSBCI Coalition Conference Call January 21 @ 1:00PM Eastern
Please join the Legislative Team for an important SSBCI Coalition conference call, on January 21, at 1:00PM, as they discuss the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) and advocacy planning for 2016. All public and private SSBCI participants are invited to join the call. Amongst other things, they will discuss the Small Business Access to Capital Act, introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Gary Peters (MI). Jeff Stout, SSBCI Director, U.S Treasury Department and Eric Silva, CDFA's Legislative Representative, will speak to the coalition.
What: State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Conference Call
When: Thursday, January 21, 2016
Time: 1:00PM ET
Dial-In: (614) 686-7333 (No passcode needed)
