(from Memo to Members, the publication of the National Low Income Housing Coalition) As predicted, the Senate leadership has decided not to include the NHTF in its most recent iteration of a "jobs" bill. While the form that its jobs legislation will take remains in flux, neither the Baucus (D-MT)-Grassley (R-IA) proposal nor the stripped down version that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) brought forward contain the NHTF.
Senate sources cite the fact that HUD has not yet issued the program regulations, therefore making it impossible for NHTF dollars to actually create jobs in 2010, as the reason the NHTF is not in the bill. In a classic Catch-22, HUD officials state the program regulations will be issued once funding is approved.
The NHTF campaign will focus on two avenues to achieve passage of funding to get the NHTF started:
1. Negotiations between the Senate and the House on jobs legislation, as the House bill passed in December does include $1.065 billion to capitalize the NHTF and fund project-based vouchers to be coupled with capital grants (see Memo, 12/18/09).
2. Other must-pass vehicles to which the NHTF can be attached.
Advocates are asked to contact their Senators to express dismay that the Senate has failed to provide funding for the NHTF, even though such funding is supported by a majority of Senators.
