The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently released a map of “high needs counties” where Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (government-sponsored enterprises, or “GSEs”) will receive more credit under the Duty to Serve rule, which requires that the GSEs facilitate a secondary market for mortgages on housing for low- and moderate-income families in the manufactured housing, affordable housing preservation and rural housing markets. Considering the fact that the each GSE was recently permitted to start investing up to $500 million annually in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, these areas may be emphasized as possible investment locations.
In North Carolina, Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Halifax, Martin, Pitt Northampton, Robeson, Tyrrell and Washington Counties are labeled "Persistent Poverty Counties," and several western counties are designated as "Middle Appalachia" counties.
