INCOME INEQUALITY GREW IN MOST STATES OVER PAST TWO DECADES

Congresswoman Waters Announces New Foreclosure Legislation

(from the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations) The Chairwoman of the House Housing & Opportunity Subcommittee announced two targeted and pragmatic pieces of legislation today at a National Policy and Capacity Building Conference on Capitol Hill before members of the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA), whose members are integral facilitators in solving the country's foreclosure crisis.

Part 1: What Will The Upcoming Federal and State Budget Cuts Mean To Our Communities?

The California Budget Project has taken a look at the federal and state budget deficits and forecast what the impacts of the proposed budgets would mean to California's communities.

The Impact of Federal Cuts

ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY LOAN FUND

Summary:

FROM THE NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND CAMPAIGN

Senator Boxer Cosponsors National Housing Trust Fund Bill

(as reported by the National Low Income Housing Coalition in Memo to Members)

Senator Specter Calls for Hearing on the National Housing Trust Fund

In a letter dated March 4, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) asked Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Shelby (R-AL), Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, to hold a hearing on S. 2523, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 (NAHFT).

(as reported by the National Low Income Housing Coalition in their Memo to Members)

Studies: Perhaps Half of Non-elderly Households with Worst Case Needs Disabled

A research brief released in December by the Urban Institute finds that more than three-quarters of the $199.5 billion in 2006 federal housing subsidies targeted homeowners, while less than one-quarter benefited renters.

Tax breaks, primarily in the form of the mortgage interest deduction, constituted nearly all of the $157.5 billion in subsidies going to homeowners, while 87% of the $42.0 billion in renter subsidies took the form of direct outlays.

(from January 11, 2008, Memo to Members, newsletter of the National Low Income Housing Coalition)

Advocates are gearing up to prevent the loss of as many as 500,000 project-based Section 8 apartments nationwide in FY08, the current fiscal year. The FY08 HUD spending bill provided only $6.14 billion in funding for project-based renewals. HUD estimates that $8.1 billion will be needed during the current fiscal year to provide a full 12 months of funding to renew these contracts.

We welcome your favorite quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on housing and community development to be included on this page. Please send your most memorable quote or clip.

(from Wikipedia)

On Dec. 19, Congress passed a fiscal year 2008 omnibus appropriations bill that included 12 of the 13 federal spending bills, including Transportation-HUD. The President is expected to sign the bill following a congressional compromise that largely met the Administration's budget request and included war funding.

The National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) Campaign has issued a response to the Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) issued on October 9 by the Executive Office of the President. The SAP opposed enactment of H.R. 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007.

 

Despite threats of a veto by the Administration, the House of Representatives went forward and passed the FY2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies conference report, including the 2008 budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The House voted with bipartisan support 270-147, a strong majority but just a few votes short of the 2/3rd's necessary to override the veto threat.

Congress will soon be finalizing HUD appropriations legislation for 2008, and it must resolve two key issues with respect to Section 8 vouchers: how much money to provide to renew existing vouchers; and how to distribute those funds among the 2,400 state and local housing agencies that administer the program.

All organizations participating in the ENERGY STAR program are encouraged to apply for a 2008 ENERGY STAR Award.

Legislative update provided by Enterprise Community Partners.

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, the Senate approved its fiscal year 2008 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill (S. 1789) by a vote of 88-7. The bill did not include major changes from the Committee-passed version. The bill must now go to conference with the House, which passed its bill in July. The President has threatened to veto funding bills that exceed his proposals. If this happens, it would take a two-thirds vote in each body to reject a presidential veto.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has published a Policy Guide to help policymakers and advocates understand federal programs and policies regarding housing and homelessness.

Congressional co-sponsors for the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bill must sign on by September 4. The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign is seeking additional co-sponsors for H.R. 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, which would establish a trust fund with dedicated sources of revenue for the production, preservation and rehabilitation of 1.5 million affordable homes for low income people.