National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bill
To be voted on by the House of Representatives
on Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Call Your Representatives and Ask Them to Support H.R. 2895
On Wednesday, October 10, the full House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007. This bill would establish a trust fund that would serve as a source of revenue for the production of new housing, and the preservation or rehabilitation of existing housing that is affordable for low income people.
The bill would require that at least 75% of these new resources be used to produce or preserve housing affordable to extremely low income people. This would be the first new housing production program since 1990 and the only one focused on housing for households with the lowest incomes.
This is also the first time a bill establishing a National Housing Trust Fund will be considered on the floor of Congress!
Calls are needed now through Wednesday in support of H.R. 2895.
Call 1-877-210-5351 (toll free) and ask to speak with your Representative's office. Then, ask to speak to the person who handles housing issues for your Member of Congress. Urge them to support passage of H.R. 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 and to oppose any weakening amendments.
USCCB POSITION
Catholic Social Teaching has long recognized housing as a basic human right. The Catholic community—through its parishes, diocesan structures, and Catholic Charities agencies—is one of the largest providers of shelter in the nation. Since the late 1960's, the federal government through the Department of Housing and Urban Development has solicited, encouraged, and funded a variety of Church sponsored housing--particularly senior housing, transitional housing, homeless shelters, and some family units.
Bishop DiMarzio, on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has written to Congress to support the creation of a National Housing Trust Fund as “a genuine opportunity to let the American people know that the housing needs of low-income families are a national priority.” And to “demonstrate how vitally important housing is to the well-being of families and our communities.”
