The New England Housing Network sent a letter on June 18 to Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) urging him to protect the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) in the FY16 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill. Senator Reed is the Ranking Member of the THUD Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
The letter acknowledges Senator Reed’s steadfast commitment to affordable housing. It also underscores the need for the NHTF because of the significant shortage of affordable housing for extremely low income people that persists throughout the country. The letter said, “In essence, the House budget would wipe out everything we have worked so hard to create as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), which was enacted with bipartisan support. Our country needs 7.1 million more affordable rental units to meet the need of our extremely low income families, and the NHTF is key to getting some of these units built and housing families.” The letter goes on to urge Senator Reed to ensure that the Senate THUD appropriations bill does not zero out the NHTF as the House bill does.
In addition to the New England Housing Network, NLIHC State Coalition Partners in three other states have sent letters in support of the NHTF to their Senators who sit on the THUD Subcommittee. On June 5, the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition delivered a letter in person to Subcommittee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME). On June 17, the Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama sent a letter to Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), and Empower Missouri sent a letter to Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO). Advocates in several other states also intend to send letters this week to their Senators who are on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The New England Housing Network letter to Senator Reed is at http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/NEHN_Letter-To_Sen.Reed_061815.pdf.