Action Digest

Aug 22, 2012

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

Take action on these issues today.

Endorse Proposal to Fund the National Housing Trust Fund

Sign your organization on to support an innovative proposal to fund the National Housing Trust Fund through the reform of the mortgage interest deduction (MID). Congress returns to Washington in September. We need to have as many organizations as possible signed on to the funding proposal by then. Your organization’s endorsement is  critical to the success of this proposal.  

The Tools


Act Now:  Urge Your Representative to Avoid the Harmful Impact of Sequestration!

Your voice is critical in urging Congress to avoid sequestration. Sign on to a letter sponsored by the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), urging Congress to promote the common good, protect the vulnerable, and rebuild the economy. The sequester will impose indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts that will devastate housing and social service programs, and many other programs that carry out core government functions. More than two million Americans face negative impacts from the sequester’s cuts to affordable housing and community development programs.

The Timeline
Sign your organization onto the letter by Monday, September 10.

The Ask
Sign on to the letter, sponsored by the CHN, urging Congress to promote the common good, protect the vulnerable, and rebuild the economy. Urge your Members of Congress to use a balanced approach to deficit reduction that will not destroy the safety net of the most vulnerable Americans.

The Tools

  • Visit this site to read and sign onto the letter.
  • Learn more about the impact the sequester will have on affordable housing and community development programs here.
  • To learn more about sequestration, view our recent Memo to Members article.
  • To send an individual message to your Senators and Representatives, visit CHN’s website.


AUGUST RECESS

Continue to Schedule and hold meetings with your Members of Congress while they work in their states and districts this month.

The Timeline
Members of Congress have departed Washington, D.C. for their August district work period, also known as the August recess. They return to session on September 10. The District work period is a critical time for advocates to meet with Members on their home turf.

The Asks

  • Sign on to the Coalition on Human Needs’ sequestration letter explained above.
  • Take the opportunity to explain the impacts of the sequester cuts, such as the loss of 185,000 vouchers and the 145,900 people who will remain homeless instead of housed in FY13, and urge instead that Congress come up with a balanced budget solution.
  • Re-iterate the need for full funding of HUD programs. Congress has agreed on a framework for a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government once the new fiscal year begins on October 1. The CR would fund most programs at current levels for six months, through March 31, 2013. Some programs may receive additional funding in the CR. It is crucial to continue advocating for HUD funding so programs receive needed funding in the CR and full funding when Congress finalizes FY13 spending levels next year.


The Tools

  • Find contact information for your Members of Congress here.
  • Read an August 10 Memo to Members article about sequestration here.
  • For more information about the HUD budget, view NLIHC’s policy fact sheet.
  • To see key differences between the House and Senate HUD appropriations bills, view NLIHC’s Budget Chart.


USE YOUR VOICE WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS

Contact your Members of Congress and encourage them to co-sponsor the following bills:

H.R. 3619: To make the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act permanent

The Ask
Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3619, a bill introduced by Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN), which would permanently extend federal protections for renters facing foreclosure. The current Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act is set to sunset in 2014.

The Tools


S. 489 & H.R. 1477: To provide much needed funding for the National Housing Trust Fund

The Ask
Encourage your Senators to co-sponsor S. 489, and your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 1477. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) introduced bills that would capitalize the NHTF through profits from the Treasury Department’s sale of Troubled Asset Relief Program warrants. These bills would provide critical funding for the NHTF.

The Tools


S. 3494 and H.R. 3076: To make formerly homeless full-time students eligible for low income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financed housing

The Ask
Urge your Senators to co-sponsor S. 3494, introduced by Senator Al Franken (D-MN), and ask your Representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 3076. Currently, students are not allowed to be leaseholders of LIHTC-financed housing units. The prohibition was established to ensure that tax credits are not used to finance the development of university dormitories. S. 3494 recognizes that the prohibition has broader impacts than was originally intended, and would make eligible full-time students who have experienced homelessness any time in the previous five years. Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced similar legislation, H.R. 3076, in 2011.

The Tools

  • View the full text of S. 3494 here.
  • View the full text of H.R. 3076 here.
  • View current co-sponsors of S. 3494 and H.R. 3076 by looking the bills up here.
  • To contact your Members of Congress, call the Congressional switchboard at 877-210-5351, or visit our website and enter your ZIP code.


S. 1989 & H.R. 3661: To establish minimum credit rates for Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects

The Ask
Urge your Senators to co-sponsor S. 1989, introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3661, introduced by Representatives Patrick Tiberi (R-OH) and Richard Neal (D-MA). The bills would establish a minimum credit amount that LIHTC developments would receive, protecting them from reductions in investor equity that can be used to build affordable housing.

The Tools


STAY INFORMED

Prepare today for future action.

Housing Reform: Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Act (AHSSIA)
The Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development held a hearing on housing reform legislation on August 1. Linda Couch testified at the hearing on behalf of NLIHC.

The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity approved a discussion draft of AHSSIA on February 7. A full Committee mark up has not yet been scheduled.


ADDITIONAL TOOLS

Use these tools to take action.

Get Voterized! Participate in National Voter Registration Day.
On September 25, 2012 organizations volunteers, local groups and advocates, across the country will participate in National Voter Registration Day to engage community members in nonpartisan voter activities. 

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS? Send your feedback on NLIHC's Action Digest to [email protected].

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