WASHINGTON, DC – A Place to Call Home: The Case for Increased Federal Investments in Affordable Housing, a new report released today by the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), compiles the latest research that shows how investments in affordable housing boost economic mobility, reduce poverty and homelessness, improve health outcomes, and strengthen the economy. The report includes more than 100 success stories of people and communities that have been positively impacted by federal affordable housing investments funded through the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Agriculture (USDA).
NLIHC coordinates and facilitates CHCDF and prepared the report in response to the threat of significant budget cuts to HUD/USDA programs in Fiscal Year 2018. The report calls for Congress to lift the spending caps, while maintaining funding parity between defense and non-defense programs, and to ensure the highest level of funding possible for affordable housing programs. “There is an overwhelming need for affordable homes in every state and congressional district,” said Elayne Weiss, NLIHC senior policy analyst and principal author of this report. “Cutting investments in affordable housing will only make it harder for people with the greatest needs, including low income seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and working families with children, to have an affordable and accessible place to call home.”
The Place to Call Home report compiles funding data by state from HUD and USDA into one document and estimates the number of local jobs supported by HUD investments in each state. According to the report, investing in affordable housing strengthens the economy and supports job creation and retention. The report estimates that more than 500,000 jobs were supported through HUD investments in 2015 alone.
Diane Yentel, president and CEO of NLIHC, urges Congress to consider this report and the millions of lives in their districts that have been positively impacted by federal investments in critical programs before making any decisions about the upcoming budget. “While we need to address our nation’s debt over the long-term, we cannot and should not balance the budget by reducing necessary and important investments that serve people with the greatest needs.” Ms. Yentel said. “Reducing federal investments in affordable housing will have a negative domino effect throughout many communities and the economy.”
A Place to Call Home: The Case for Increased Federal Investments in Affordable Housing is at: http://nlihc.org/partners/chcdf
To read all of the success stories from this report, go to: http://bit.ly/2miFZaH
Authors of this report will share their findings on a webinar, March 6, 3 pm - 4 pm ET. Register for this webinar here: http://bit.ly/2lYo20S.
The webinar will be available here after broadcast: http://nlihc.org/events/webinars
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Established in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare, the National Low income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest income in the United States have affordable and decent homes.
CHCDF is an education, strategy, and action hub for national organizations dedicated to preserving and expanding federal housing and community development funding for lower-income families and communities. CHCDF’s members include a full continuum of national housing and community development organizations, including faith-based, nonprofit, private sector, financial/intermediary, public sector and advocacy groups.