ACT NOW!
1 in 4 renters in America – 11.4 million households – have extremely low incomes and cannot afford the rent. Unaffordable housing drives struggling families deeper into poverty.
Only 35 affordable homes are available for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. There are only 12 counties out of over 3,000 counties nationwide can a full-time worker earning minimum wage afford a one-bedroom rental home. where a full-time worker earning minimum wage can afford a one-bedroom rental home.
We all want and need a good home.
When people live in homes they can afford in safe neighborhoods with quality schools, they have better health and their children are more likely to go to college and earn more as adults.
Federal housing assistance is chronically underfunded and currently faces unprecedented threats. Today, of the families who qualify for housing assistance, only 1 out of 4 will get the help that they need.
The work to expand affordable housing cannot be done by housing advocates alone. Leaders from many sectors – education, health care, civil rights, anti-poverty, anti-hunger, and more – are joining the effort to ensure low-income people have access to safe, decent, affordable housing in neighborhoods where everyone has equitable opportunities to thrive.
Opportunity Starts at Home is a multi-sector campaign that is bringing together diverse voices and generating widespread support for federal housing policies that:
1. Bridge the gap between rents and income for low-income households through rental assistance
2. Provide aid to people experiencing job losses, serious illness or other economic shocks to avert housing instability or homelessness
3. Increase the affordable housing stock for low-income renters
At the same time, we will act to defend existing rental assistance and other targeted housing resources from harmful cuts.
Sign the Campaign’s Letter to Congress
Dear Congress,
The undersigned organizations and individuals believe in the mission of the Opportunity Starts at Home
campaign, a coalition of national and state organizations from multiple sectors dedicated to expanding
low-income households’ access to decent, affordable homes through federal policies that:
Bridge the growing gap between renter incomes and rising housing costs;
Provide aid to people experiencing job losses or other economic shocks to avert housing instability
or homelessness; and
Expand the affordable housing stock for low-income renters.
In this campaign, leaders from many sectors – education, health care, civil rights, anti-poverty, and more – are working together to ensure low-income people have access to safe, decent, affordable homes.
We are committed to advancing these beliefs as national and political priorities, and promoting bold solutions wherever opportunities present themselves. At the same time, we will act to defend existing rental assistance and other targeted housing resources from harmful cuts.
The need for urgent action could not be any clearer. Today in America:
1 in 4 renters – 11.4 million households – have extremely low incomes and cannot afford the rent.
In fact, there are only 12 counties in the entire nation where a full-time worker earning minimum wage can afford a one-bedroom rental home. Only 35 affordable homes are available for every 100 extremely low-income renter households.
Research shows that housing affordability is central to better health, higher educational attainment, and greater earnings.
Investments in affordable housing are also a proven catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and development.
Federal housing assistance is chronically underfunded and currently faces unprecedented threats.
Today, of the families who qualify for housing assistance, only 1 out of 4 will get the help that they need.
When the rent eats up most of hard-working people’s paychecks, they have less leftover income for other necessities like transportation, medical care, nutritious food, and child care. It is inescapable – we simply cannot address poverty without addressing housing affordability.
We call on Congress to help support safe, stable and affordable housing.
