The “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” (H.R. 6644, “ROAD”) passed into law on July 11, marking the first major bipartisan housing package to become law since the 1990s. The Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) campaign celebrates the bill’s passage and thanks lawmakers and advocates for their ongoing work to pass meaningful affordable housing legislation.
OSAH especially celebrates the inclusion of the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act” (RDRA), which will make needed reforms to HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and authorize it for three years; the “Rural Housing Service Reform Act,” which will help preserve 400,000 affordable rental units in rural areas; and provisions from the “Choice in Affordable Housing Act,” which will help households with Housing Choice Vouchers get into homes more quickly.
ROAD passed Congress with broad support from both chambers, passing in the Senate on June 21 with a vote of 85-5, and in the House on June 22 with a vote of 358-32. President Trump did not sign the bill as originally expected (see Memo, 6/29); however, a bill still becomes a law without the president’s signature if the president does not sign or veto it after 10 days of it being presented by Congress. The 10 days elapsed on July 11, and ROAD automatically became law.
Though the bill has become law, there are still opportunities for advocacy on how the bill will be implemented. Policies, programs, and reforms will go through the rulemaking process, during which advocates can provide input on how programs are administered. Advocates can also work with their local governments to incorporate priorities as programs are carried out.
TAKE ACTION!
Send the letter below to your federal elected officials thanking them for voting yes on the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.”
Learn more about ROAD provisions and their impact on low-income households here.
SEND THE LETTER BELOW TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THANKING THEM FOR VOTING YES ON THE 21ST CENTURY ROAD TO HOUSING ACT
Dear Congress,
I am reaching out to extend my thanks to you for voting YES on the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.” This broad, bipartisan legislation is an important step forward in addressing our nation’s continuing affordable housing crisis.
We are particularly grateful for the inclusion of the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act,” “Rural Housing Service Reform Act” and “Choice in Affordable Housing Act” in the final legislation.
The “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act,” contains critical reforms proposed by NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery, Research, and Resilience Coalition (DHRC) to help ensure the federal government’s long-term disaster recovery program, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, better serves disaster survivors and disaster-impacted communities with the lowest incomes.
The “Rural Housing Service Reform Act,” will help preserve affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for low-income people and families living in rural areas. Importantly, by decoupling rental assistance from maturing mortgages, the bill would help preserve affordable housing in rural areas and maintain housing access for 400,000 rural families.
Provisions from the “Choice in Affordable Housing Act” will streamline inspections for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to make it faster and easier for HCV recipients to access housing in communities of their choice.
Access to stable, affordable housing is foundational for well-being and opportunity across every sector. In health, safe and stable housing prevents long-term health problems and promotes healthy lives from childhood to adulthood. In education, when children remain stably housed, it improves academic performance and drives consistently strong outcomes for all children in the classroom. Economically, fair housing increases a family’s opportunity of upward mobility and access to job opportunities, dismantling cycles of poverty. These outcomes are backed by a growing body of research finding that access to affordable housing advances racial equity and gender equity, supports reentry after incarceration, fuels economic and community development, reduces environmental health disparities, slows climate change, and helps seniors age with dignity. The provisions in the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” mentioned above help us to move closer to our long-term goal of ensuring that people with the lowest incomes can afford a good home, which adds to their quality of life overall.
The U.S. has a severe shortage of affordable housing, especially for renters with the lowest incomes. There is more work to be done to make housing safe, accessible, and affordable for all, but we want to take time to celebrate this win. Thank you for voting YES on affordable housing!
For more information about the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign and its advocates, please see: www.opportunityhome.org
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