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NAHMA Grassroots Alert: Urge Congress to Support Affordable Housing Programs During Funding Negotiations
- By: admin
- On: 02/21/2020 09:25:49
- In: Breaking News
Across the nation, the shortage of affordable housing continues to be a critical issue in many communities. Yet, President Trump's fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request proposes harmful cuts to key affordable housing programs. Please Urge Congress to reject the Administration's FY21 budget request and pass funding bills that renews all rental assistance and supports vital affordable housing programs.
Over the next few months, Congress will begin developing government FY2021 funding bills.
Ask Lawmakers to Help Enact Vital Funding for Affordable Housing. Earlier this month, President Trump provided Congress his FY21 Budget Request. Similar to previous three years, this budget requests harmful cuts or the elimination of funding for key affordable housing programs. NAHMA opposes these cuts. As a result of member advocacy, Congress has also opposed the President's request over the past three years.
During late Spring and Summer months, Congress will begin working to pass spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Your advocacy and voices are needed. Now is a great time to contact your legislators to advocate for renewing vital rental assistance programs at appropriate funding levels for FY2021 (starts on Oct. 1, 2020).
TELL CONGRESS: Enact Robust Funding for HUD Affordable Housing Programs
The following funding levels are needed to renew key housing programs:
- Project-Based Rental Assistance: Fund the PBRA program at $13 billion
- Housing Choice Vouchers: Fund the HCV program at $25 billion
- HOME Program: Fund HOME at $1.75 billion
- Elderly Housing: Fund Section 202 at $800 million
- Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities: Fund Section 811 at $260 million
- Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) – Fund RAD at $50 million and include proposals to facilitate additional conversions of HUD-assisted properties:
- Lift the current unit cap on Public Housing conversions;
- Promote the preservation of multifamily properties in rural and high-cost areas.
The following are funding levels needed to renew key housing programs:
- Section 521: Renew Rural Rental Assistance contracts at $1.4 billion
- Section 515: Fund the Multifamily Mortgage Program at $45 million
- Section 538: Fund the 538 Guaranteed Multifamily Housing Loans at $250 million
- Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR): Fund the Multifamily Preservation Demonstration and Section 542 Rural Housing Vouchers at $75 million
Urge Congress to support the Housing Credit.
Advocate to strengthen the Housing Credit. As Congress negotiates the spending bills, help us build support for provisions that strengthen the production and preservation of affordable rental housing throughout the country.
- Relay the message to Congressional leadership: Please ask your legislators to urge lawmakers to pass the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019 (S. 1703/H.R. 3077).
- Build Co-Sponsorship: Encourage your Members of Congress to cosponsor the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act. Please contact NAHMA to see if your Senators and Representatives are currently co-sponsor(s). NAHMA also has access to Sample letters that can be customized to your respective Senators or Representatives.
Please take a moment to contact your lawmakers.
Your legislators want to hear from you. Look-up your legislators or reach out to NAHMA Government Affairs staff for assistance with advocacy in DC and in your district. Write directly to your Senators and Representatives! Visit this free grassroots tool: https://democracy.io/#!/
Larry Keys, Director of Government Affairs
National Affordable Housing Management Association
400 N. Columbus St., Suite 203, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone 703-683-8630, ext.111 Email lkeys@nahma.org, Website www.nahma.org
NAHMA is the leading voice for affordable housing management, advocating on behalf of multifamily property managers and owners whose mission is to provide quality affordable housing.
