From the National Low Income Housing Coalition:
Object to the House Assault on Affordable Housing; Extreme Cuts Proposed
On February 3, the House launched its long anticipated assault on housing and community development programs. The House Budget Committee proposed setting FY11 spending caps for domestic discretionary programs at FY08 levels, dramatically lower than current funding levels. To meet these caps and impose additional cuts, the House Appropriations Committee announced its plan to cut the Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies (THUD) Subcommittee’s funding allocation by 18%. This is below the President’s FY11 budget request and 17% below FY10 levels, the level at which programs are now being funded under the continuing resolution.
These cuts would reduce HUD’s share of the THUD budget, causing hundreds of thousands of households currently housed through HUD programs to lose their housing. Cuts at these levels would devastate HUD programs serving the lowest income, most economically vulnerable households. HUD announced this week that the number of households experiencing worst case housing needs, defined as very low income renter households paying more than half of their income for housing or having other significant housing problems, increased by 20% between 2007 and 2009. Please contact your Representative and Senators NOW to let them know that these cuts are unacceptable and that: HUD programs must be funded at FY10 levels at a minimum, AND: Three HUD programs must be funded at higher than FY10 levels to prevent households from being evicted from affordable housing:
- The tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher program requires more than $900 million over FY10 levels for renewals.
- The project-based rental assistance program requires more than $655 million over FY10 levels for renewals.
- The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants requires more than $190 million over FY10 levels.
Click here to get the contact information for your House and Senate offices, or call the Congressional switchboard at 877-210-5351. After making the calls, let the NLIHC know who you contacted by emailing outreach@nlihc.org. Thank you for your continued support and action.
