President Biden signed into law on March 11 the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package with nearly $50 billion in essential housing and homelessness assistance, including $27.4 billion for rental assistance and $5 billion to assist people experiencing homelessness. These investments will prevent millions of low-income people from losing their homes during the pandemic and will provide cities and states with the resources they need to help people experiencing homelessness find housing and remain safely housed during the pandemic and beyond.
After passing the Senate on a party line vote on March 6, the bill went back to the House for a final vote on the package amended by the Senate. The House passed the bill by a vote of 220 to 211 on March 10, sending it to President Biden for his signature. The final bill allocates $21.55 billion for emergency rental assistance, including a $2.5 billion set-aside for high-need communities, as well as $5 billion for new emergency housing vouchers for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
The bill includes an additional $5 billion to assist people experiencing homelessness. These funds can be used to: provide rental assistance and supportive services; develop affordable rental housing; and acquire non-congregate shelters, such as hotel and motel rooms, to be converted into permanent affordable housing.. In addition, the bill provides $10 billion for homeowner assistance, $100 million for housing counseling, $20 million for fair housing, and $5 billion for utility assistance, among other crucial provisions.
Read NLIHC’s analysis of the housing and homelessness provisions in the bill at: https://tinyurl.com/hh8sdjsy
View Senate Democrats’ estimate of emergency rental assistance allocations for states and localities at: https://tinyurl.com/345h9ymh
View NLIHC’s estimate of homelessness assistance allocations for states and localities at: https://tinyurl.com/ys59cu82