Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines from around the Northern Virginia Region, the Commonwealth and on Capitol Hill.

1. NAR Applauds FHFA Equity Plan for GSEs
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released finalized equity plans Wednesday for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to the FHFA, the plans are intended to “address barriers experienced by renters, aspiring homeowners, and current homeowners before, during, and after getting a mortgage” and include actions to address financial education, access, and costs. The plans will be reviewed and updated periodically.

2. Army Corps of Engineers propose changes to prevent Northern Va. flooding
A proposal years in the making to try and prevent flooding in parts of Northern Virginia is now available for the public to look over. The Army Corps of Engineers is trying to figure out if putting measures in place would help cut back on the risk of coastal flooding to public and private buildings along the west bank of the Potomac River.

3. PPP Loans Gave Critical Assistance to REALTORS®
Recent media reports have painted a false narrative about real estate professionals who took out SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the articles chose to focus on outliers and did not tell the story of the average REALTOR®.

4. Metro’s Silver Line extension moves closer to finish line
Metro could take control of the Silver Line extension this summer, transit officials said Thursday, which would move the long-delayed project a step closer to passenger service after nearly four years of delays.

5. By opposing highway expansions, Maryland politicians risk more than gridlock
The five years before the pandemic saw starkly uneven job growth across the D.C. region. The big winner was Northern Virginia, where more than half the new jobs landed. The losers were mainly in suburban Maryland, which got less than 20 percent of them.