Volume 24, Issue 10
March 11, 2019

In This Issue:

Budget and Appropriations

President Trump Proposes Drastic Cuts to Affordable Housing Programs

President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2020 budget request — released today — proposes to drastically cut housing benefits that help millions of low-income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and other vulnerable people afford their homes. Like his other budget requests in FY18 and FY19, the proposal would reduce housing benefits for the lowest-income people by slashing federal investments in affordable homes, increasing rents, and imposing harmful work requirements on America’s struggling families. If enacted, the budget could leave even more low-income people without stable homes, undermining family stability, increasing evictions, and, in worst cases, leading to more homelessness.

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Research

Expanding Housing Choice Vouchers Would Significantly Reduce Child Poverty

Congress directed the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) in 2015 to conduct a study of childhood poverty in the United States and identify policies and programs that would reduce childhood poverty by half over the next ten years. The National Academies have released their findings in a report, A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty. The report finds that implementing a child allowance program, expanding the provision of Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), and increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are among the most effective policies to accomplish the goal of reducing child poverty.

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Fact of the Week

A New Child Allowance and Increased Housing Vouchers Would Reduce Child Poverty Rates the Most

Source: National Academy of Sciences. (2019). A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty. Washington, DC: Author.

2019 NLIHC Housing Policy Forum

Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Preventing Displacement to be Explored at NLIHC’s March 27-29 Housing Policy Forum

Too often, new development and efforts to revitalize communities do not prioritize the needs and interests of long-term residents, and people are pushed out. The NLIHC 2019 Housing Policy Forum: Seizing the Moment for Bold Solutions, taking place in Washington, DC, March 27-29, will offer a session on effectively revitalizing neighborhoods while preventing displacement. The session panelists are Randy Shaw, Tenderloin Housing Clinic and author of Generation Priced Out; Council Member Gregoria Casar, Austin City Council; and Donna Mossman, Crown Height Tenants Union.  Pre-event registration ends in one week (on March 15), so register to attend today!

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Final Week to Purchase Tickets to NLIHC’s March 28 Housing Leadership Awards Reception Honoring Pinky Clifford, Dr. Mitchell Katz, and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver

The deadline to purchase pre-event tickets to attend NLIHC’s March 28 Reception recognizing 2019 Housing Leadership Award honorees Emma “Pinky” Clifford, executive director of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing and NLIHC board member; Dr. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals; and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) is Friday, March 15. Purchase your ticket today!

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NLIHC Offers Webinar on Policy Priorities for Advocates, March 14

NLIHC will host a “2019 Forum Policy Priorities Webinar” on Thursday, March 14, 2:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will highlight key legislative requests that advocates should make to lawmakers in 2019 and provide comprehensive information that makes the case for more federal investments in affordable homes. The webinar will prepare advocates for NLIHC’s annual Capitol Hill Lobby Day on March 29, as part of the NLIHC Housing Policy Forum: Seizing the Moment for Bold Solutions March 27-29. Register for the Forum today at: www.nlihcforum.org. Pre-event registration closes on Friday, March 15.

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Take Action

Advocates Urged to Endorse Lead-Safe Housing Bill  

Organizations are urged to endorse a lead-safe housing bill about to be introduced.  The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law and the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative are seeking organizations to endorse “The Lead Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2019” even before it is formally introduced. The original sponsors for the bi-partisan and bi-cameral bill include Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Donald McEachin (D-VA). Additional members are being contacted to co-sponsor the bill. The bill is identical to “The Lead Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2017” (S. 1845).

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Congress

House Subcommittee Examines Stakeholder Perspectives on Affordable Housing Production

The House Transportation-HUD (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on March 7 where stakeholders provided their perspectives on the production and preservation of affordable housing. Witnesses testified about the critical importance of HUD programs and of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) in preserving the nation’s affordable housing stock and the great need to increase those resources. Witnesses also discussed how the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) is being utilized to convert public housing and preserve it as affordable housing by enabling public housing agencies to leverage Section 8 rental assistance contracts to raise private debt and equity for capital improvements.

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Our Homes, Our Voices

2019 Our Homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action Announced for May 30-June 5

Federal investments in proven affordable housing solutions benefit us all. Join the growing grassroots movement to support increasing those investments during this year’s Our Homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action, May 30-June 5! Advocates carried out more than 130 rallies, press events, teach-ins, meetings with elected officials, letter-writing campaigns, voter registration drives, tweetstorms, and other activities around the country during the 2018 Week of Action. Let’s make 2019 even more powerful!

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Disaster Housing Recovery

Senators Call for Robust Disaster Supplemental Funding Bill

Senators have been pressuring congressional leadership to prioritize passing a robust disaster supplemental funding bill. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) led nine other Democratic senators on a letter dated February 28 urging congressional leadership to quickly pass a disaster relief package that includes relief for all states, territories, and tribal nations impacted by the 2018 disasters, as well as continued assistance for Puerto Rico. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) sent an additional letter to congressional leaders on March 1 related to disaster-related funding needs in Puerto Rico, including $610 million for the Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico (NAP) program and other infrastructure, education, and housing programs.

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HUD Approves Disaster Recovery Funding with Additional Oversight for Territories

HUD approved the latest Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) state action plans from Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Approval for both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands come with additional fiscal controls and HUD oversight. These states and territories will now have access to additional disaster recovery funding: $518 million for Florida, $779 million for the Virgin Islands, and $8.2 billion for Puerto Rico.

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Additional Disaster Housing Recovery Updates – March 11, 2019

The following is a review of disaster housing recovery developments since the last edition of Memo to Members and Partners (for the article in the previous Memo, see 3/4).

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Opportunity Starts at Home

Leading Urbanist Richard Florida Talks about How Affordable Housing Can Boost Economic Growth

In its latest podcast episode, the Opportunity Starts at Home multisector affordable homes campaign talks to Dr. Richard Florida about the complex nexus between housing affordability and economic productivity.  Because of a lack of affordable housing in high-wage, high-productivity areas, many workers – particularly those without a college education – are unable to live where good jobs are available. Many of these productivity “hubs,” which offer the greatest chances for upward mobility, are places where housing costs are unaffordable for the people who need the opportunity the most. And for those modest wage earners who do live in high-productivity hubs, much of their gains are consumed by high housing costs. These factors and the resulting loss in productivity and wages create a major drag on economic growth nationally. 

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HUD

Letter Urges HUD to Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors at All HUD-Assisted Housing

NLIHC and other organizations sent a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson urging him to require carbon monoxide detectors at all HUD-assisted housing. 

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HUD Provides Information on How to Participate at Remaining REAC Listening Sessions

HUD has informed NLIHC about how residents and advocates can register to attend one of the four remaining listening sessions HUD is conducting to gather input about a pilot program to test new approaches to Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspections (see Memo, 2/25). A media release on February 20 indicated the public and stakeholders would be invited, but it was not clear how. After NLIHC did not observe any general notification to the public and did not find opportunities to register on the REAC homepage, NLIHC wrote to HUD. On the evening of March 6, HUD responded with instructions on how to register.

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From the Field

New York Rural Affordable Housing Advocates Descend on State Capitol, Call for Increased Investments

Advocates from the New York State Rural Housing Coalition, an NLIHC state partner, joined with the New York State Rural Advocates at the Capitol in Albany on February 27 to urge legisla­tors to fully fund rural preservation companies (RPCs) and rural affordable housing programs. There was an excellent turnout from all parts of the state to meet with legislators in their offices, hallways, and some­times in elevators. Advocates asked legislators to maintain funding for a variety of programs that improve rural communities and help seniors and people with disabilities live in stable housing.

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NLIHC in the News

NLIHC in the News for the Week of March 3

The following are some of the news stories that NLIHC contributed to during the week of February 24.

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NLIHC News

NLIHC to Release The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes 2019 on March 14

NLIHC will release The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes 2019 on Thursday, March 14. This year’s report finds a shortage of seven million affordable and available rental homes for America’s extremely low-income renter households, those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income. There are fewer than four affordable and available homes for every 10 of the lowest-income households nationwide. Seventy-one percent of renter households with extremely low-incomes are severely housing cost-burdened, spending more than half of their incomes on housing. They account for nearly 73% of all severely cost-burdened renters in the U.S. This year’s report also examines the racial disparities among renters, points out the limited scope of severe housing cost burdens for renters with higher incomes, and reviews the benefits of affordable homes.

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NLIHC Seeks Creative Services Specialist/Manager

NLIHC seeks a creative services specialist/manager who will be responsible for designing all of NLIHC’s print and electronic publications (e.g., Memo to Members and Partners weekly e-newsletter, The Advocates Guide, etc.), research reports (The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, Out of Reach, etc.), and other materials; managing NLIHC websites and electronic communications; developing and maintaining the NLIHC brand through all external materials; and assisting with the development and execution of communications and marketing strategies.

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Where to Find Us – March 11

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel and other NLIHC staff will be speaking at the following events in the coming months.

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NLIHC Staff

Sonya Acosta, Policy Analyst, x231
Andrew Aurand, Vice President for Research, x245
Lily Barrett, Policy Intern, x241
Victoria Bourret, Housing Advocacy Organizer, x244
Josephine Clarke, Executive Assistant, x226
Abby Cooper, Research Intern, x249
Dan Emmanuel, Senior Research Analyst, x316
Ellen Errico, Creative Services Manager, x246
Ed Gramlich, Senior Advisor, x314
Paul Kealey, Chief Operating Officer, x232
Mike Koprowski, Director, Multisector Housing Campaign, x317
Joseph Lindstrom, Manager, Field Organizing, x222
Lisa Marlow, Communications Coordinator, x239
Sarah Mickelson, Senior Director of Public Policy, x228
Khara Norris, Director of Administration, x242
Catherine Reeves, Development Coordinator, x234
Brooke Schipporeit, Housing Advocacy Organizer, x233
Elayne Weiss, Senior Policy Analyst, x243
Chantelle Wilkinson, Housing Campaign Coordinator, x230
Renee Willis, Vice President for Field and Communications, x247
Gloria Yang, Communications & Graphic Design Intern, x250
Diane Yentel, President and CEO, x225