Let Congress Know Today About the Importance of HUD Funding
Today, the House elected a new Speaker and this week the full Senate began considering its Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) appropriations bill. Given these developments, it’s an opportune time for PHADA members to contact their Representatives and Senators to stress the importance of maximum funding for HUD programs.
PHADA has produced helpful Position Papers on FY24 appropriations and housing policy priorities. We encourage members to review those papers to understand the House and Senate T-HUD bills as well as the Association’s stance on key housing issues.
Clock is Ticking on Current CR
Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) on September 30, avoiding a government shutdown with a few hours to spare. The CR only funds the government through November 17, however, and neither the House nor Senate has passed any of the 12 appropriations bills. As a result, it’s all but certain that Congress will need to pass another CR before November 17 to avoid a government shutdown.
Earlier this summer, both the House and Senate passed their respective T-HUD appropriations bills through their Appropriations Committees. The Senate bill more generously funds HUD programs, including:
- Increase funding for the public housing operating fund.
- Sufficient funding to renew all Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance contracts.
- Greater funding for self-sufficiency programs.
In contrast, the House T-HUD bill imposes a 67 percent cut to HOME funding and zeroes out the Choice Neighborhoods program. The House bill also funds the public housing operating and capital funds at slightly below FY23 levels – which, given inflation and rising operating costs, would represent a significant cut in funding for this essential program.
Contact Your Elected Officials Today
PHADA encourages members to contact their Representatives and Senators to stress the importance of avoiding a government shutdown and providing maximum funding for HUD programs. Talking points can include:
- How your agency works to meet affordable housing needs in your community – especially for the homeless, veterans, and the elderly – and how a shutdown or reduced funding will inhibit your ability to meet those needs.
- Challenges associated with rising costs for insurance, utilities, and maintenance, and how flat or lower funding will force agencies to cut back on much-needed resident services to pay for these.
- How HOME and Choice Neighborhoods funding is crucial to developing much-needed affordable housing and revitalizing aging public housing communities.
- The importance of funding for Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) projects, since RAD rents are based on public housing operating and capital fund appropriations.
- Why shortfall funding is critical for agencies struggling with continued high levels of tenant accounts receivable (TARs).