NAHRO CEO Adrianne Todman Responds to Proposed FY 2019 Budget
Earlier today, the White House transmitted the President’s FY 2019 budget proposal to Congress. NAHRO is deeply troubled by the Administration’s proposed funding cuts to core housing and community development programs. It is difficult to comprehend how out of touch this budget is with the realities of immediate housing needs. Eliminating the public housing Capital Fund, HOME, and CDBG programs, and reducing housing operating subsidies will simply devastate our members’ ability to help families.
This winter, we have seen the result of years of underinvestment in our housing infrastructure, with heating systems underperforming in several cities and towns. The federal government is responsible for this lack of investment and this proposed budget, sadly, continues that trend.
Additionally, because the tax reform law reduced the traditional public/private leveraging we have relied on to preserve and create affordable housing, the HOME and CDBG programs are needed more than ever. Investment in housing and community development is good for families — and good for business. Research has demonstrated the positive impact that housing has on health and educational outcomes. And every $1.00 of CDBG funding leverages another $3.65 in private and public dollars.
We are intrigued by the Administration’s recognition that local communities are best positioned to make key decisions about their housing investments and look forward to working with HUD in defining this further.
We also acknowledge the Administration’s emphasis on self-sufficiency and work, but we also know from decades of job/work-inspired initiatives that, without the appropriate level of resources and partners to support families, these efforts fall short of success.
NAHRO and our 20,000 members across the country, who house more than 7.9 million families, will now look to the Congress to craft a realistic budget that addresses the immediate needs that communities face.
Adrianne Todman
NAHRO CEO
Contact: Sylvia Gimenez