Check out this exciting news via the National Low Income Housing Coalition:
The Senate voted 50-49 early this morning to approve a budget resolution that sets the stage for a $3.5 trillion infrastructure and economic recovery package, including investments up to $332 billion for housing and transportation. We haven’t been this close to major investments in affordable housing in a generation!
There is still so much more work ahead of us, and the time for action is NOW! While the House of Representatives is slated to return to Washington on August 23 to vote on the budget resolution, the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee are already starting to draft legislation to divvy up these funds among various housing and transportation programs.
We need your help to ensure that any infrastructure and economic recovery package includes the #HoUSed campaign’s top priorities: expanding rental assistance, providing $70 billion to preserve public housing, and investing $45 billion in the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF). Together, these resources will help ensure that America’s lowest-income and most marginalized households have safe, accessible, and affordable homes.
Take Action
Help build support for the #HoUSed campaign:
- Join more than 1,000 organizations nationwide by signing the #HoUSed campaign petition and by circulating it among your networks. This letter is one of the most effective ways to show congressional leaders the broad support for the #HoUSed campaign’s long-term policy agenda, and we regularly share this letter with members of Congress to make the case for the #HoUSed campaign’s priorities for the infrastructure/economic recovery bill.
- Use August Recess to keep up the pressure on Congress. During August recess, members of Congress will be home in their states and districts. The recess is the perfect opportunity for housing advocates to build congressional support for the #HoUSed campaign’s infrastructure priorities. During this time, you can:
- Attend townhalls and ask questions to your members of Congress about their support for these investments.
- Meet with your members of Congress or their staff in-district and urge them to support these investments.
- Invite your members of Congress to a tour of a housing development supported with resources from the national Housing Trust Fund, or public housing in need of repairs. Invite them to meet households who are using or are in need of rental assistance.
- Publish op-eds and letters-to-the-editor calling for investments in the HTF, public housing, and rental assistance. Once published, share them with your members of Congress.
- Regularly engage with members of Congress on the long-term housing needs in your community and why these investments are so needed.
NLIHC created a media toolkit you can use! It includes talking points, sample op-eds, and social media messages. As always, NLIHC staff are ready to help you.
