Bipartisan “Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act” Reintroduced in Senate

By Chantelle Wilkinson, NLIHC Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Campaigns, and Julie Walker, NLIHC Project Manager, Opportunity Starts at Home 

On September 16, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced the “Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act,” which would create an additional 250,000 housing vouchers specifically designed for low-income families with young children to expand their access to well-resourced neighborhoods with high-performing schools, strong job prospects, and other opportunities. This legislation would significantly reduce homelessness among families with young children, as well as substantially decrease the number of children growing up in areas of concentrated poverty. This policy solution has been championed by the Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) Campaign, which worked with the bill’s sponsors to get the concept introduced into legislation. 

The legislation prioritizes these new vouchers for low-income pregnant women and families with children under age 6 who either have a recent history of homelessness or housing instability, or live in an area of concentrated poverty (or are at risk of being displaced from an opportunity area). These vouchers would be coupled with counseling and services that have a proven track record of supporting parents and helping families move out of neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. 

Research shows that when children in poor families grow up in neighborhoods with low poverty, quality schools, and low crime, they are significantly more likely to attend college, less likely to become single parents, and more likely to earn dramatically more as adults over the course of their lifetimes. They also experience better health outcomes, including a reduction in asthma symptoms. This helps break cycles of generational poverty and produces a positive taxpayer return. Research also shows that low-income students perform better academically and close achievement gaps faster when housing assistance enables them to live stably in well-resourced neighborhoods with lower-poverty schools. 

“Ensuring children grow up in a safe and secure home is one of the best ways we can support their success. That’s why we need to do more to make sure every family has access to an affordable place to live—and what’s more, we need to ensure affordable housing is available in neighborhoods with strong schools and good-paying jobs. As we work to expand affordable housing nationwide and increase economic mobility for all families, this bipartisan bill will boost access to housing vouchers that have already served as an effective and immediate solution—giving more parents the ability to afford a home in the location that best serves their family,” said Senator Van Hollen. 

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable home and reach their full potential,” said Senator Young. “Research has shown that children who move from high-poverty areas to neighborhoods with greater opportunity at a young age can see significantly higher earnings later in life. Our bipartisan legislation will give families facing homelessness and housing instability more choices about where they live, helping more children access strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and opportunities to succeed.” 

“The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) commends Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Young (R-IN) for their leadership in reintroducing the "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act," bipartisan legislation that expands access to stable housing and high-opportunity neighborhoods for families with young children,” said Renee M. Willis, NLIHC President and CEO. “Safe, affordable housing is essential to quality of life, supporting educational attainment, economic mobility, and health outcomes. The "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act” represents an important step toward advancing housing stability, providing 250,000 additional vouchers to help families with young children secure affordable housing in communities of their choice."  

Read the press release from Senator Van Hollen.  

Read the fact sheet

Read the bill text.