Modernization & Grant Programs Worth Watching Under the New Housing Law

Beyond the big headline stuff, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act quietly authorizes a handful of smaller programs — grants and pilots that local governments, nonprofits, Tribal entities, and lenders can apply for. None of it is guaranteed money for Nome. Most of it is competitive or discretionary. But it's exactly the kind of thing we like to keep tabs on, because these programs tend to fly under the radar until suddenly they're relevant to a client's situation.

Pre-approved home design grants — HUD-vetted designs meant to cut permitting time, with 10 percent of funding set aside for small and rural communities.

Small-dollar mortgage pilot — targeting loans of $100,000 or less, aimed at markets where lenders often skip small loan amounts because they're not worth the paperwork. Think tiny homes.

The Innovation Fund — $200 million a year for five years, awarded competitively to localities that can show they're actually growing their housing supply. 

Vacant commercial-to-residential conversion pilot — federal support for turning unused commercial buildings into housing. Worth a look if anyone's eyeing that kind of project locally. The old hospital 48 building or the old AC building downtown are both candidates for this program!

Manufactured and modular housing modernization — updated codes, the chassis-rule repeal, and expanded federal financing support for factory-built homes. The chassis-rule was extremely costly in Nome.

Community and rural bank capacity — the law raises the cap on how much banks can invest in community development projects, from 15 to 20 percent, meant to free up more lending capacity at community banks and credit unions serving rural areas like ours. This is big win for Northrim and CU1.

As always: these are new authorizations, not committed dollars showing up in Nome next month. Whether any of it turns into something real here depends on application windows and local follow-through. We have had some stellar leadership in the Alaska Native communities in our region driving the push for new housing. Let's encourage our city to step up and become more active.

Ideas on how the City of Nome can promote housing?  If you have suggestions we really want to hear them!!!! Comment below!!!