President Joe Biden released on October 28 a framework for the “Build Back Better Act,” moving Congress one step closer to enacting the legislation. The $1.75 trillion economic recovery package – negotiated down from $3.5 trillion – includes $150 billion for affordable housing. The framework includes significant investments in the HoUSed campaign’s top priorities:
- $25 billion to expand housing vouchers to hundreds of thousands of households
- $65 billion to preserve the nation’s deteriorating public housing infrastructure
- $15 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF) to build and preserve over 150,000 affordable, accessible homes for households with the lowest incomes
This funding would be the most substantial federal investment ever in quality, stable, affordable homes for people with the lowest incomes. The investments would provide affordable homes for hundreds of thousands of the country’s lowest-income people and preserve and improve up to one million affordable homes for public housing residents throughout the country.
The historic investments would not be in the framework without the tremendous leadership and work of House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA), Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Chair Sherrod Brown (D-OH), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY), and the leadership and commitment of President Biden. And this result would not have been possible without the countless advocates around the country who never stopped fighting for these resources.
While we celebrate these historic proposed investments, the fight to enact them is not over! Advocates should continue to email and call their members of Congress and urge them to vote yes on the final framework for the Build Back Better Act.
Thank you for your advocacy!