NLIHC’s Diane Yentel to Testify to Congressional Committee on Housing as Infrastructure

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel will testify at a House Financial Services Committee hearing, “Housing in America: Assessing the Infrastructure Needs of America’s Housing Stock,” on Tuesday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m. ET in Room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Learn more about the hearing and watch the livestream at: https://bit.ly/2IEkb5w

The hearing will examine America's affordable housing inventory as a vital part of the nation's infrastructure. Given NLIHC’s research showing the U.S. has a shortage of seven million rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income renters, Ms. Yentel will discuss the need for significant federal infrastructure investments to repair and preserve the nation’s public housing stock and to build and rehabilitate homes for America’s most vulnerable people and families through the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and rural and tribal housing programs.

The U.S. is in the grips of a pervasive affordable housing crisis, impacting rural, suburban and urban communities alike. Congress can address this crisis through increased investments in programs that target people with the greatest needs. An infrastructure spending package provides the perfect opportunity for Congress to invest in repairing, preserving, and building homes for extremely low-income families so they can thrive, achieve economic mobility, age in place, and live with dignity. Ms. Yentel will urge Congress to support an infrastructure package that includes strong investments in decent, affordable rental homes for households with the lowest incomes.

The full list of hearing witnesses:

  • Diane Yentel, NLIHC president and CEO
  • Adrianne Todman, CEO of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
  • Steven Lawson, chairman of the Lawson Companies, representing the National Association of Home Builders
  • Daryl Carter, founder, chairman and CEO of Avantha Capital, representing the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment Association