Washington, D.C. – Today, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will each be allowed to invest up to $1 billion annually in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) market as equity investors, beginning in 2024. The Enterprises will also adjust their LIHTC investment policies to ensure their investments only support projects that remain affordable for the entire 30-year period intended by the program.
“Since restarting their LIHTC investments in 2018, the Enterprises have furthered their ability to create and preserve affordable housing, especially in areas that have difficulty attracting investors,” said Director Sandra L. Thompson. “Today's announcement provides additional stability for investments in this critical segment of the housing market.”
Within the $1 billion investment cap, any investments by the Enterprises above $500 million in a given year must be in transactions FHFA has identified as having difficulty attracting investors. This increases the amount of investments under the cap that must support housing in Duty to Serve-designated rural areas, preserve affordable housing, support mixed-income housing, provide supportive housing, or meet other affordable housing objectives. In addition, the Enterprises will only make LIHTC investments in projects that waive the qualified contract provision, ensuring the 30-year affordability period envisioned by the LIHTC program.
Previously, each Enterprise was limited to $850 million of investment annually in the LIHTC market. Increasing the Enterprises’ LIHTC investment cap ensures they continue to play a consistent role in supporting the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is the primary federal government program available to address the shortage of affordable rental housing by creating and preserving affordable units in underserved areas throughout the country. FHFA will continue to evaluate the Enterprises' participation in the LIHTC equity market on an ongoing basis.
###
The Federal Housing Finance Agency regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks. These government-sponsored enterprises provide more than $8.4 trillion in funding for the U.S. mortgage markets and financial institutions. Additional information is available at www.FHFA.gov, on Twitter @FHFA, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Contacts: