Join NLIHC and our partners in the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) this Friday, June 16, for a National Day of Action focusing on the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget! NLIHC and CHCDF are urging advocates to call, email, or tweet their members of Congress on June 16 to demand they provide the highest possible funding for HUD’s and USDA’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs in any FY2024 spending package.
Use NLIHC’s Day of Action script to help create your message to Congress and urge your representatives to provide sufficient funding for HUD and USDA, including for NLIHC’s top priorities:
- Implementing full funding for the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program to renew all existing contracts.
- Providing full funding for public housing operations and repairs.
- Fully funding homelessness assistance grants.
- Providing $100 million for legal assistance to prevent evictions.
- Funding a permanent Emergency Rental Assistance program.
- Maintaining funding for competitive tribal housing grants for tribes with the greatest needs.
Advocates can also use NLIHC’s Legislative Action Center to send a personalized email to their members of Congress, highlighting NLIHC’s priorities for the FY2024 budget.
Background
Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law the Fiscal Responsibility Act on June 3. The bill raises the federal debt ceiling until 2025, in exchange for capping FY2024 spending at FY2023 levels and limiting budget increases to just 1% the following year (FY2025), among other harmful provisions. Because the cost of housing rises every year, it is crucial that HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs receive increased funding from year to year in order to maintain services and assistance for current residents. Flat funding acts as a cut, reducing the number of people served by these vital programs.
In addition to spending caps, HUD typically receives additional funding outside of the yearly appropriations process from revenues generated by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), known as “FHA receipts.” While these receipts have cushioned HUD’s budget historically, the volatile housing market over the previous year has caused FHA receipts to drop. Between increased renewal costs due to inflation and lower FHA receipts, HUD’s budget will need an estimated $13 billion increase in FY2024 just to maintain current services and programs.
Your advocacy will be vital to securing sufficient funding in FY2024 for HUD’s and USDA’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs.