By Geraldine Collins
As NLIHC celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024, the National Alliance of HUD Tenants (NAHT) is celebrating the close partnership it has had with NLIHC since its inception.
It has been 33 years since NAHT was created. It is the only tenant-led national organization focused on the housing and habitability of HUD-subsidized tenants throughout the country. NAHT serves over 1.2 million tenants living in Project-Based Section 8 housing and now also serves tenants moving over from public housing to RAD as well.
Throughout its history, NAHT has successfully administered several VISTA Projects through AmeriCorps. These projects were instrumental in helping tenants organize and save their homes. In a one-year program, NAHT’s VISTAS work diligently to preserve over 35,000 homes. NAHT works alongside HUD to make sure this is accomplished.
In 2019, NAHT worked to draft the language that would eventually become the “Tenant Empowerment Act.” The bill will hopefully be reintroduced during this congressional session by Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). NAHT, in collaboration with NLIHC, also played a part in guiding the creation of the Biden-Harris administration’s Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights. In addition, NAHT is collaborating with others to develop national tenant protections legislation.
NAHT looks forward to continuing to pursue its mission of helping preserve and improve affordable housing, protect tenants’ rights, and promote resident control and ownership.