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2 <br /> gIIMMARY OF THE NATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT OF 1990 NAHA <br /> The main objective of the National Affordable Housing <br /> Act of 1990 (NAHA) is "to reaffirm the long-established <br /> national commitment to decent, safe, and sanitary housing for <br /> every American by strengthening a nationwide partnership of <br /> public and private institutions." It replaces many of the old <br /> HUD housing assistance programs and provides new <br /> opportunities for local governments to provide housing <br /> assistance to their low/moderate income families. <br /> What' s new about MEM- <br /> There are four new concepts that p broad <br /> changes in the way the federal government will approach the <br /> provision of affordable housing. <br /> * Local matching funds required for participation in all <br /> new programs. This matching requirement ranges from <br /> 1 local dollar for each 2 federal dollars in new <br /> construction programs to 1 local dollar for each 4 <br /> federal dollars for rental assistance and moderate <br /> rehabilitation. Grant local <br /> funds match m <br /> by may be the value community <br /> Development Block of <br /> land or public improvements included in a project. <br /> Decentralization of funding to local areas. Each local <br /> government desiring funds under the NAHA must adopt its <br /> own set of policies and design its own programs through <br /> preparation of a Comprehensive Housing Affordability <br /> Strategy (CHAS) . <br /> * on <br /> Emphasis homeownership opportunities. There are three <br /> p in NAHA, each with <br /> separate homeownership programs <br /> slightly different rules and qu alifications. In <br /> addition, NAHA encourages social forms of ownership, <br /> especially through Community Housing Development <br /> Organizations (CHDO) , <br /> like Orange Community Housing <br /> Corporation. An example would be the sale of p ublic <br /> housing to eligible tenants. <br /> * Empowerment of recipients of housing assistance, meaning <br /> that housing assistance alone cannot meet the needs of <br /> low income individuals and families. NAHA encourages <br /> programs that link housing with social cservices, such as <br /> job training, child care, counseling, <br /> and other ways to improve the lives of residents in <br /> assisted housing. <br />