Senators Urged Leaders to Include Assistance for People Experiencing Homelessness in COVID-19 Stimulus Package

As Congress and the White House negotiated a COVID-19 stimulus package, a number of Democratic members of the Senate urged Senate leaders and the administration to ensure that people experiencing homelessness receive assistance. The final package did include some critical resources for housing and homelessness, although there is still more work to do. Read NLIHC’s analysis of the stimulus measure here.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urging them to include homelessness assistance and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in any legislative action surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Richard Durbin (D-IL) also sent a letter to the Senate leaders asking them to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are able to access the cash payments under consideration in the stimulus package. 

The letter from multiple senators lists several questions that must be addressed in order to ensure the reliable and equitable distribution of direct assistance, including: how funds can be distributed to individuals who do not have a permanent address; how individuals without government-issued identification can be accommodated; and how adequate outreach can be performed to ensure people experiencing homelessness are aware of the benefits to which they would be entitled. The letter also urged Senate leaders to include legislative language explicitly stating that direct assistance should not be considered income and should not impact eligibility for means-tested public benefit programs.

Senator Gillibrand’s letter is at: https://bit.ly/2UE9i73

The letter from multiple senators is at: https://bit.ly/2JaLiTI

NLIHC’s analysis of the stimulus package is at: https://bit.ly/3btRMte