The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the revision of environmental review requirements described in its Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Guide on May 4.
The changes will be implemented immediately for any mortgage application that has not reached initial endorsement, according to an agency press release.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner indicated the updates are intended to streamline requirements related to FHA’s multifamily lending programs, lower development costs and accelerate rental housing delivery.
“This is about fixing policies that have made housing expensive and difficult to build,” Turner said in the release. “We are cutting outdated requirements, reducing costs and delays, and putting FHA financing back to work to support housing production and improve home affordability for American families.”
Specifically, the FHA will:
- Remove standalone railroad vibration assessment requirements
- Restore prior policy for pressurized pipelines
- Update standards for high voltage power lines and fall hazards
- Clarify noise-sensitive outdoor uses
Noting that these changes reflect direct advocacy from the mortgage industry, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) President and CEO Bob Broeksmit issued a statement expressing appreciation for Turner and his staff.
“These updates roll back unnecessary and duplicative provisions – including changes to vibration standards, underground pipeline requirements, fall hazard rules, and noise regulations – that have added cost, delayed projects, and constrained new rental housing development,” Broeksmit said. “Our members look forward to advancing practical, market-driven solutions that expand housing supply and improve affordability for renters across the country.”
HUD released the news less than a week after a joint announcement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the agencies had rescinded a final determination on energy-efficient construction standards for HUD and FHA programs.