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Last week the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Related Agencies approved legislation that includes funding for HUD in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015. According to the press release that accompanies the bill, the committee recommends $26.3 billion for HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH), an increase of $6.2 million over this year.
For tenant-based rental assistance, the funding would provide:
- $17.69 billion for voucher renewals, a slight (1.88 percent) increase over this year
- $1.35 billion for administrative fees, a 10 percent decrease over this year
- $75 million for family self-sufficiency (FSS) coordinators, the same amount as this year
- $75 million for Veterans Affairs supportive housing (VASH) vouchers, the same amount as this year
For the public housing program, the bill recommends:
- $1.775 billion for the capital fund, about a 5 percent decrease over this year
- $4.4 billion for the operating fund, the same amount as this year
- $25 million for Choice Neighborhoods, about a 72 percent decrease over this year
According to industry reports, the House Appropriations Committee next week will likely begin consideration of the appropriations bill. If you would like to see any of these numbers increased, now would be the time to contact your representative in the House. As the National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) explains in its summary of the bill:
It is critical for members of the House and Senate to hear from constituents that the levels proposed in the House THUD bill are not adequate.
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Related Agencies has yet to mark up its version of the 2015 HUD appropriations bill. In other news:
The Atlantic (via Affordable Housing Report): The future of America's public housing stock: Demolition by neglect
BeyondChron (via Rooflines): A takedown of inconsistent and illogical arguments against spending on supportive housing for the formerly homeless
Columbia University (via Affordable Housing Report): Housing patterns have remained the chief determinant of school population
The HUDdle: HUD announces winners in student design competition
L.A. Times (via Affordable Housing Report): L.A. politicians weigh plan to replenish affordable housing fund
Meeting of the Minds (via MetroTrends): How could cities better connect all their residents to economic opportunity? and How HUD's latest fair housing rule could expand access to opportunity
MetroTrends: Affordable housing in safe neighborhoods: Four lessons for success
NationSwell: What cities can learn from San Francisco's newest public housing project
NLIHC: Disaster LIHTC legislation introduced
Rooflines: Good local housing policy is good economic development policy