Take Action! Urge your Members of Congress to support funding for affordable housing in FY 2017 and FY 2018

Mar 28, 2017

The White House proposes to cut HUD funding by $1.7 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 and deadlines for lawmakers to join letters supporting HUD/USDA funding for FY 2018 are fast approaching. 

NLIHC Call to Action

FY 2017 Spending Update: The White House is urging Congress to cut $18 billion from non-defense programs in the FY 2017 spending bill, including a $1.7 billion cut to HUD, to offset increases to defense spending and to  start to build a wall along the Mexican border. Recently, the White House sent a proposal to Congress, identifying specific programs for elimination or significant funding cuts. It proposes to zero out HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods grants, cut the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in half, and eliminate the Self-help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and NeighborWorks grants. Congress has until April 28 to enact its FY 2017 spending bills before the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires. Although many lawmakers say this proposal was offered too late in the budget process, it could derail efforts to enact final FY 2017 spending bills and may lead to a government shutdown.

FY 2018 Spending Update: Members of Congress are circulating “Dear Colleague” sign-on letters in support of HUD and USDA Rural Housing. These letters advocate for specific HUD programs and, in many cases, request funding levels for FY18 appropriations.

Advocates should contact their members of Congress and ask that they sign onto these letters to show their support for HUD and USDA affordable housing programs.

Below is a comprehensive list of letters that are currently circulating, as well as the following information for each letter: the office leading the letter, the funding amount (if specified), the deadline for signing on, and the point of contact your lawmakers should reach out to when joining the letter.

Contact your members of Congress as soon as possible. The deadlines are closing quickly!

Thank you for your advocacy!

  • Housing Choice Vouchers/Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
    • House letter
      • Office: Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
      • Funding amount: At least $21.2 billion for Tenant-Based Section 8 Rental Assistance (including $19.3 billion for renewal vouchers)
      • Point of Contact: Melissa Connolly, [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 30
  • McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants
  • Housing for Vulnerable Populations
    • House letter
      • Office: Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
      • Funding amount: Full funding for Public Housing Operating Account, $5 billion for Public Housing Capital Fund, full funding for Housing Choice Vouchers, full funding to renew all Project-Based Rental Assistance contracts, full funding for Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly and an additional $25 million to fund new units, and full funding for Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities and an additional $25 million to fund new units.
      • Point of Contact: Alia Fierro (Waters), [email protected], or Jennifer Shapiro (Cleaver), [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 31
  • HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)
    • House letter
      • Office: Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH)
      • Funding amount: $1.6 billion
      • Point of Contact: Félix Muñiz, [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 31
  • Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
    • House letter
      • Office: Representatives James McGovern (D-MA), Robert Brady (D-PA), Lou Barletta (R-PA), Peter King (R-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
      • Funding amount: $3.3 billion
      • Point of Contact: Caitlin Hodgkins (McGovern), [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 30
  • Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
    • House letter
      • Office: Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
      • Funding amount: $350 million
      • Point of Contact: Melissa Connolly (Nadler), [email protected] or Todd Sloves (Crowley), [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 30
  • Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
  • Housing Counseling
    • House letter
      • Office: Representative John Conyers (D-MI)
      • Funding amount: $60 million
      • Point of Contact: Yvesner Zamar, [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 29

USDA Requests

  • Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Loans/Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Loans/Rural Development Voucher Program/Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration
    • House letter
      • Office: Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
      • Funding amount: $25.7 million for the Rural Development Voucher Program, $40 million for Section 515 program, $23.8 million for the Section 514 program, and $25 million for the Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration
      • Additional provisions: Supports expanding Rural Development Voucher Program to Section 514 properties, eliminating certain incentives for owners to prepay USDA loans, amending current language that precludes the Rural Housing Services from adjusting voucher subsidy amounts, and requiring displaced Section 515/514 residents to receive priority in other federally subsidized housing.
      • Point of Contact: Alia Fierro (Waters), [email protected], or Jennifer Shapiro (Cleaver), [email protected]
      • Deadline: March 31
  • Section 502 Direct Loan Program/Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing Program
    • House letter
      • Office: Representatives Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Jim Costa (D-CA)
      • Funding amount: No funding amount specified
      • Point of Contact: Ryan McCormack (Duffy), [email protected], or Ben Goldeen (Costa), [email protected]
      • Deadline: April 3 
     

NLIHC Call to Action