NAHRO: Congress Must Preserve Our Country’s Housing, Support Neighborhoods

July 12, 2017 – On July 11, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) passed its FY 2018 funding bill. NAHRO CEO Adrianne Todman said, “Today, it’s no longer about Trump’s budget, but about Congress’ leadership. While it is a far cry from the draconian cuts proposed, the House Appropriation’s T-HUD subcommittee markup last night represents a shortfall of more than $1 billion in this country’s investment in housing infrastructure and assistance. These are funds that will not be available to families in urban America, rural America, or suburban America.

“The bill also cuts $100 million each from both the CDBG and HOME Program allocations,” Todman continued. “The HOME Program provides places for families to live and, as the U.S. Conference of Mayors stated, CDBG ‘provides funding needed to revitalize communities and to help them build self-sustaining economics.’ These are common-sense investments that support neighborhoods everywhere.”

As the full House Appropriations Committee prepares to take up the bill early next week, Todman urged housing and community development stakeholders nationwide to let their voices be heard. “As the budget process moves forward,” she said, “we call on the House and Senate to preserve our country’s housing and to continue to invest in our main streets.”

The full T-HUD bill received $56.5 billion, which is $1.1 billion less than the current fiscal year, but a whopping $8.6 billion above the President’s request. The cuts are evenly split between the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While Section 8 funding is higher in absolute terms, it is not keeping up with higher program costs – particularly rent increases.

Here are some housing and community development funding numbers from the bill:

• Public Housing Capital Fund – $1.85 billion, $92 million less than FY 2017
  • Competitive Lead-Based Paint Grants – $0, $25 million less than FY 2017
  • Jobs Plus – $15 million, level funded
• Public Housing Operating Fund – $4.4 billion, level funded
• Choice Neighborhoods Initiative – $20 million, $118 less than FY 2017
• Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment Renewals – $18.71 billion, $355 million higher than FY 2017
  • Administrative Fees – $1.55 billion, $100 million less than FY 2017
• Family Self-Sufficiency – $75 million, level funded
• Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance – $11.082 billion, $266 million higher than FY 2017
• Community Development Block Grant – $2.9 billion, $100 million less than FY 2017
• HOME Investment Partnerships – $850 million, $100 million less than FY 2017
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS – $356 million, level funded
• Homeless Assistance Grants – $2.383 billion, level funded

For more information, please contact Sylvia Gimenez.

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About NAHRO

NAHRO, established in 1933, is a membership organization of 20,000 housing and community development agencies and professionals throughout the United States whose mission is to create affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality of life for all Americans, especially those of low- and moderate-income. NAHRO’s membership administers more than 3 million housing units for 7.6 million people.