NHTF and the Budget Conference

NLIHC President and CEO Sheila Crowley sent a letter to the leaders of Budget Conference Committee on November 15, asking for support for the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) in the forthcoming budget agreement.

Her first request is that they include a deficit-neutral reserve account for the NHTF in the final budget resolution. The Senate budget resolution passed earlier this year included this provision, but the House budget resolution did not. Including this account creates a placeholder for funds for the NHTF should any funds become available this budget year. A similar provision has been in several previous Senate and House budget resolutions.

The second request pertained funding for the NHTF. If the final budget agreement includes tax instructions to the Finance Committee, Ms. Crowley asked that the United for Homes campaign proposal to fund the NHTF through revenue raised from changes to the mortgage interest deduction be included. Democrats on the Budget Conference Committee want to close a variety of tax loopholes in order to raise revenue needed to end sequestration.

The letter also contained requests on ending sequestration and fully funding HUD and USDA programs in the FY14 budget (see article on the Budget Conference below).   View NLIHC’s letter at: http://bit.ly/1cCPFhM