Call To Action: Vote to increase federal funding for housing programs
Whom to call: Your Representative
When to call: Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14
The number to call: 877-322-5742
The message: Vote to increase funding for housing programs
On June 13 and 14, the House of Representatives will consider the FY07 Transportation, Treasury, HUD, Judiciary and District of Columbia appropriations bill, H.R. 5576. We expect several amendments will be offered to increase funding for housing programs.
INCREASED VOUCHER FUNDING
Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) will offer an amendment on the House floor to increase voucher funding. The Appropriations Committee bill provides $144 million less than what was requested by the President for Section 8 voucher program in FY07. Mr. Nadler’s amendment will restore roughly $100 million in funding for approximately 15,000 vouchers. The money to offset this increase will come from the Working Capital Fund, HUD’s internal technical assistance budget.
PRESERVE TENANT PROTECTION VOUCHERS
A second amendment from Mr. Nadler would guarantee that tenant protection vouchers are available to replace all units when public housing is demolished or privately subsidized housing ends its federal subsidy. The language in H.R. 5576, the HUD appropriations bill, only allows tenant protection vouchers to be used for units “under lease,” which will result in a loss of vouchers to a community. Current practice is that residents in occupied units receive tenant protection vouchers and the housing authority receives whatever number of tenant protection vouchers for the lost units not currently under lease. This way, communities as a whole do not lose affordable housing units.
SUPPORT INCREASES TO FAIR HOUSING
Representatives Al Green (D-TX) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) will offer an amendment to increase funding for the Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP). The House Appropriations Committee proposed only $18.8 million for FHIP. The Green-Lee amendment would increase funding for FHIP to $26 million.
PUBLIC HOUSING FUNDING
There may be amendments to increase funding for public housing. Please ask your Representative to support increases in public housing funding.
The Message:
I am calling to urge Representative …………to vote for the Nadler amendment that would increase funding for Section 8 vouchers by $100 million, and for the Nadler amendment that would guarantee that communities receive the tenant protection vouchers that they need.
I also ask Representative……….to support the Green-Lee amendment to increase funding for the Fair Housing Initiative program that is needed to fight housing discrimination.
Please let me know if you get a response from your representative's office.
Bob Palmer
Policy Director
Housing Action Illinois
11 E. Adams #1501
Chicago, IL 60603
312-939-6074 x. 4 (phone)
312-939-6822 (fax)
312-282-3959 (cell)
www.housingactionil.org
