On June 13, the campaign sent a letter to Congress urging robust housing investments in any future reconciliation legislation for housing vouchers, public housing, and the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF. Specifically, the campaign recommends expanding rental assistance by $25 billion to serve over 300,000 households; investing $65 billion to repair the nation’s public housing infrastructure for more than two million residents.; and investing $15 billion in the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF) to build and preserve 150,000 affordable homes and help end homelessness. Signatories included 43 leading national organizations from an array of sectors, such as Catholic Charities USA, Coalition on Human Needs, Healthy Schools Campaign, Legal Action Center, National Community Action Partnership, National Women’s Law Center, and more.
Research clearly shows that investments to make housing more affordable generate multiplying returns across many sectors. Stable, affordable housing options located in neighborhoods of opportunity are associated with better educational outcomes, better physical and mental health outcomes, lower healthcare expenditures, greater food security, stronger upward economic mobility and growth, greater racial and gender equity, fewer encounters with the criminal legal system, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and more. Unfortunately, years of underinvestment in affordable housing solutions have contributed to our current housing crisis. For example, although it is well documented that housing vouchers and other rental assistance are highly effective at addressing homelessness and housing instability, reducing domestic violence, and improving other outcomes, 3 in 4 people eligible for rental assistance do not receive it due to inadequate funding.
These key investments must be included in any reconciliation legislation that advances and should not be broken off into a separate bill that faces a steeper path to enactment.
These vital housing programs most directly and effectively serve the lowest income and most marginalized households with the greatest needs. All three will be essential to support an equitable recovery.
Read the campaign’s letter to Congressional Leadership below:
OSAH Sign On Letter - June 13To download, click here.