The Department of Housing and Urban Development this week announced an insurance rate reduction for multifamily affordable and energy-efficient properties to stimulate production and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. The new reduced rates will take effect on April 1, 2016, and will directly affect FHA’s Multifamily Housing Programs and properties housing low- and moderate-income families. For “broadly affordable” housing, the FHA is lowering annual mortgage insurance rates to 25 basis points. Rates for affordable mixed-income properties would be lowered to 35 bps. For energy-efficient properties, the annual rates would be reduced to 25 bps. To ensure that broadly affordable and energy-efficient properties benefit directly from the lower rates, FHA will limit the fees that can be charged on these loans. “The reduction in mortgage insurance premiums for FHA loans on ...