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59 February 2025 J O U R N A L February 2025 » larger, whole-of-government strategy to assist families in recovering from the economic and public health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, HUD established the Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP) in 2021. Eviction filings by landlords have increased and, in certain areas, have surpassed pre-pandemic levels since the termi- nation of the pandemic-era emergency rental assistance and the majority of federal, state, and local eviction mora- toria. For families nationwide, the legal aid services offered by EPGP come at a crucial moment due to growing rents, ongoing inf lation, and a lack of afford- able housing. "Given the tremendous demand for these services and programs early grantee successes in reaching tenants most in need of eviction legal assistance services, HUD is excited to grow the reach of the program through these awards," said Solomon Greene, HUD's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. "We are proud to partner with grantees across the country who are working tirelessly to expand access to legal assistance and ensure housing stability for those who need it most." HUD sponsored 21 EPGP grantees that offered free legal aid to avoid or re- direct eviction and lessen the effects of eviction in 19 states using the initial $40 million in FY 2021 and FY 2022 funds. By allowing grant winners to scale up current operations, broaden the scope of services provided, and fortify rela- tionships with other organizations and service providers, funding has assisted in meeting the needs of households in target service areas that are experienc- ing or in danger of eviction. Through EPGP, HUD is supporting evidence-based approaches to eviction prevention and diversion programs more broadly, filling important knowl- edge gaps, and providing crucial legal services to renters facing eviction. An interim report detailing early imple- mentation findings, including the characteristics of families served as of June 2023, was released by PD&R in December 2024. According to the study, renter households that receive legal aid through EPGP have demographic traits in common with those of groups that have been proven to be more likely to face eviction on a national level, such as women. An estimated 7% lived in rural regions, some 29% had a disability, 18% had inadequate English proficiency, and more than half of the homes ser- viced had at least one kid. In the upcoming Eviction Pro- tection Grant Program Final Report, grantees, subrecipients, and HUD personnel will give an analysis of their implementation experiences; pro- gram outcomes will be documented; and relationships between household characteristics, services rendered, and outcomes will be discussed. Governmental and nonprofit orga- nizations will receive new funding to help them offer legal services to tenants in 16 states, including statewide pro- grams and local or regional programs that serve one or more counties. FHFA EXPANDS ACCESS TO LIQUIDITY FOR FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK SYSTEM T he Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has published a final rule designed to improve access to liquidity for the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) System by adjusting the treatment of certain short- term FHLBank investments. The rule modifies FHLBank limits on the extension of certain forms of un- secured credit. Previously, FHLBank's deposits held in member-provided in- terest-bearing deposit accounts (IBDAs) counted toward a more restrictive limit set in FHFA's existing regulation gov- erning FHLBank capital requirements. Under the final rule, these deposits will count toward a more f lexible lim- it—similar to the treatment of federal funds sales—allowing the FHLBanks to better manage and respond to the liquidity needs of their members safely and soundly. "FHFA's priority is to ensure that the Federal Home Loan Banks manage their balance sheets and financial transactions responsibly, remain- ing safe and sound while providing necessary liquidity to their members," FHFA Director Sandra L. Thompson said. "This regulation better enables the FHLBanks to meet their mission by providing them with greater f lexibility to deploy tools to facilitate the expan- sion of affordable, sustainable housing." The FHFA's rule also clarifies terms for the FHLBanks to determine limits on unsecured credit to coun- terparties. Based on feedback on the proposed rule, the final rule establishes an exception for certain amounts in operations and custodial accounts that the proposed rule would have counted toward the intra-day unsecured credit limit and clarifies that the limits are focused on liquidity activities. HUD STREAMLINES AFFORDABLE HOUSING REGULATIONS T he U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has published a Final Rule in the Federal Register to modernize and strengthen regulations for the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME). HOME is one of the largest federal grant programs specifically for creating housing for disadvantaged households. The regulatory updates incorporate feedback from stakeholders, communi- ty leaders, and participating jurisdic-