On NLIHC’s most recent (July 5) national call for the “HoUSed: Universal, Stable, Affordable Housing” campaign, NLIHC Senior Vice President of Policy and Field Organizing Sarah Saadian provided the latest news from Capitol Hill on reconciliation, appropriations, and other legislative priorities for NLIHC. While negotiations continue over a scaled-down reconciliation package, NLIHC and our partners continue to push for the inclusion of the income-targeted affordable housing investments needed to bring down the cost of housing and ensure people with the lowest incomes have a safe, quality, affordable, and accessible place to call home.
In addition to our work on the reconciliation package, NLIHC is also advocating for increased federal investments in HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness programs through the annual appropriations package; the creation of a permanent, federal emergency rental assistance program through the enactment of the bipartisan “Eviction Crisis Act” in the Senate and “Stable Families Act” in the House; and federal protections against housing discrimination on the basis of source of income, military status, or veteran status by enacting the “Fair Housing Improvement Act.”
We were also joined on the call by Ariel Nelson, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, who gave an overview of a new rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau clarifying the ability of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to preempt state laws. FCRA sets certain standards for the creation and use of consumer reports, such as tenant screening reports. The new rule clarified that states have a lot of flexibility to enact laws that are more protective of consumers than FCRA, an important explanation because credit reporting industries frequently challenge state and local laws that offer consumers greater protections.
Maritza Crossen, director of real estate services at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) in Massachusetts, shared an overview of CHAPA’s Neighborhood Emergency Housing Support Program. The program provides grants to community-based organizations working with community members with low incomes to prevent evictions and foreclosures. Policy Specialist Angelica Moran from the Idaho Asset Building Network provided a field update. She highlighted a recent congressional roundtable held to educate Idaho’s congressional delegation on the state’s housing landscape, and the policies need to create long-term housing solutions.
National HoUSed campaign calls are held every other week. Our next call will be July 18 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm ET. Register for the call at: tinyurl.com/ru73qan
Watch a recording of the July 5 national call at: tinyurl.com/yzzc6jft
View slides from the July 5 call at: tinyurl.com/kn9ekbbf