HUD reopens the FMR metro area question

In Friday's Federal Register, HUD revisited the vexed question of how best to update its "Fair Market Rent" metropolitan area definitions based on 2000 Census data without jolting suburban towns by defining them in or out of high-cost cities' peripheries. Comments are due Feb. 14, 2006 on a couple of proposed approaches, with and without "hold-harmless" provisions that would at least "selectively" stop "Fair Market Rent" amounts from dropping as a result of metro area definition changes.

Also in the news:

- HUD wants $3 million back from the city of Buffalo.

- The NLIHC Memo to Members includes this year's Out of Reach report, per which the "housing wage" -- the hourly pay that makes it possible to spend just 30% of one's income on a two-bedroom apartment -- has increased again, this time to $15.78.