Affordable Senior Housing News 2026May14

Kierstin Reed • May 14, 2026

Additional Analysis: President’s FY27 Budget Request for HUD

As reported on April 3, 2026, the White House released its FY 2027 budget proposal. Despite the critical shortage of affordable homes across America, the administration is requesting $73.5 billion in gross discretionary funding for HUD, which is $10.7 billion fewer funds compared to FY 2026 enacted levels, a 13% decrease. The proposed reductions include harmful cuts to critical programs serving older adults and the aging services workforce, like project-based Section 8, Section 202, and Housing Choice Vouchers. The request also includes a mixed bag of policy proposals, including several policy changes that would be harmful for affordable housing providers and residents. Take action here by reaching out to your lawmakers in support of strong HUD funding, and read more information about the President’s budget request here.

HUD Issues 2026 Income Limits, Updates Fair Market Rents

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the official 2026 HUD median family income limits on May 1, which determine eligibility for HUD-assisted programs and low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) properties for the year. The average annual change in the limit across HUD areas is 3.4%. Any certification that was fully signed by residents and owners prior to 5/1 can remain as is. Any certification after 5/1 should be regenerated to display the correct income limits. Applicable programs include Public Housing, project-based Section 8, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Section 236. HUD develops annual income limits based on Median Family Income estimates and Fair Market Rent area definitions. Income limits are also adjusted according to family size and in areas with unusually high or low incomes relative to housing costs. More information about income limits is available here. Separately from the 2026 Income Limits, HUD published a notice in the Federal Register updating fiscal year (FY) 2026 fair market rents (FMRs) for seven areas, effective May 21, 2026. Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are used to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, initial rents for housing assistance payment (HAP) contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program (Mod Rehab), rent ceilings for rental units in both the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Emergency Solutions Grants program, maximum award amounts for Continuum of Care recipients and the maximum amount of rent a recipient may pay for property leased with Continuum of Care funds, and flat rents in Public Housing units. The adjusted FMRs are in response to a Federal Register notice published Aug. 22, 2025, that requested public comments on the FY 2026 FMRs, to which commenters requested FMR reevaluations. HUD's FMRs are available here

Affordable housing Weekly Recap. Here is your weekly Affordable Housing Weekly Recap

By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
LeadingAge Webinar on Tenant Compliance Must-Dos for Affordable Senior Housing, August 19, 2-3:15 p.m. ET. Join the LeadingAge housing community for a webinar by compliance expert Jenny DeSilva, who will review unique rules and requirements for HUD-assisted senior housing communities. Participants will receive practical guidance to stay prepared for HUD oversight while supporting older adults as they age in community. Register here . Affordable housing Weekly Recap . Here is your weekly Affordable Housing Weekly Recap
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
CMS Releases Home Health Agency PEPPER Reports
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
LeadingAge Supports Bill That Includes Medicare Coverage for In-Home Services
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
New Guidance from IRS on No Tax on Overtime Last week, the Internal Revenue Service issued updated FAQs on the No Tax on Overtime provision under HR 1, which added a new tax deduction for qualified overtime compensation. The deduction allows individuals to deduct up to $12,500 of qualified overtime pay annually ($25,000 in the case of a joint return) but may be reduced if a taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers). Developed in coordination with the Department of Labor and Office of Personnel Management, the updated FAQs replace previous FAQs issued in January 2026 and provide more extensive guidance on overtime eligibility and exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, reporting qualified overtime compensation, and federal income tax withholdings from wages. The FAQs also include a guidance for employers on calculating qualified overtime compensation to be paid to an employee for purposes of the deduction. This includes instructions for alternative methods of computation are used to compute overtime, which may apply to employees of certain residential care facilities. Here is your weekly Workforce Weekly Recap
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
COVID “Up to Date” Definition Will Not Change
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
Life Safety Update
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
Life Safety Update State Fire Marshal has provided a memo regarding Personal Electrical Devices in long term care settings under the preview of the Life Safety Code. This memo clarifies that residents will be able to use personal electronics (such as lamps, laptops and phone chargers) within six feet of the bed without being in violation of Section 10.4.2.2 of the Life Safety Code. These devices no longer require a three-prong or double insulated designation. Facilities must conduct an annual visual inspection and document that devices are in proper working order and are not in need of repair. An inspection must also be conducted when a resident moves in or moves to a new room within the facility. These devices can be plugged directly into the wall or into an approved power tap (60601-1 or 1363A). Extension cords and unapproved power strips should still be avoided. We appreciate the continued follow up on this concern and the willingness of the Fire Marshal to update the understanding of the use of personal electronics in long-term care settings.
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
Join Our Advocacy Movement
By Kierstin Reed August 6, 2026
Proposed Rule Rolls Back Community Reinvestment Act Obligations. Of great concern to LeadingAge and others interested in expanding and preserving the nation’s supply of affordable housing, the Department of Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) posted a joint rulemaking on July 31, 2026, amending the regulations implementing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) that could weaken investment in affordable housing and community development. The CRA was enacted in 1977 and requires federal banking regulators to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including in low and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods. In particular, a financial institution’s record of meeting the credit needs of its entire community is taken into account by federal regulators when evaluating the financial institution’s application for a deposit facility. Among the changes that the rule proposes for evaluating whether a financial institution is meeting its CRA requirements are: restricting the large bank service test to a bank’s “credit services” – i.e., lending – rather than deposit services; imposing a 15% cap on indirect costs that recipients of community development grants at large banks may incur; recalibrating asset thresholds for small, immediate, and large banks; and tailoring retail lending tests to focus only on a bank’s major product line(s). In particular, the recalibration of asset thresholds would likely reduce the number of banks incentivized to make loans and investments in affordable housing and community development, such as investing in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). LeadingAge is concerned that this rule would further limit opportunities for affordable housing for older adults, and we will continue to work with our housing partners to coordinate a response in opposing this rule. While this rule has yet to be published in the Federal Register, there will be a 60 day comment period from the date of publication.
By Kierstin Reed August 6, 2026
Analysis: FY2027 Hospice Wage Index Final Rule
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