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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel Statement on Biden Administration’s $318 Billion for Affordable Housing in the ‘American Jobs Plan’

Washington, DC – HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge unveiled today details of the housing provisions in President Biden’s $2.3 trillion “American Jobs Plan,” with new resources to expand access to affordable housing. While the Biden administration previously proposed a total of $213 billion in housing investments, today Secretary Fudge announced they have increased their proposal to $318 billion and shared details on the spending request. The infrastructure investment bill presents a tremendous opportunity to advance bold, long-term housing solutions to address the urgent housing needs facing extremely low-income and marginalized households. NLIHC applauds the administration’s commitment to robust resources and reforms to support affordable housing.

The proposal includes two of three of NLIHC’s HoUSed campaign’s top priorities for an infrastructure bill: allocating $45 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund for the construction and preservation of homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes; and making a major investment to rehabilitate and preserve the nation’s public housing stock. What’s missing: an expansion of rental assistance to all income-eligible households, as President Biden committed to during his presidential campaign. Currently only one in four eligible households receives needed assistance. Ensuring universal housing assistance to those in need would have broad, positive impacts on racial equity, education, healthcare, economic mobility and reducing poverty.

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