March 13, 2006
IN BRIEF
Whom to call: Your Representative and Senators
When to call: Monday, March 13, 2006
The number to call: 877-322-5742 (note new number)
The message: Provide full funding for housing in the FY07 appropriations. Reject the President’s proposed HUD cuts.
It’s that time of year again, when Congress begins to plan program funding levels for Fiscal Year 2007. Last month, the President released his proposed FY07 budget to Congress. His funding proposal is not good news for people who need affordable housing: The President requested $33.6 billion for HUD, 1.8% below the current- year funding level. This includes a 10% cut to the public housing capital fund, a 20% cut to the CDBG program, a 26% cut to the Section 202 housing for the elderly program, and a 50% cut to the Section 811 housing for people with disabilities program.
Now, using the President’s request as a starting point, the House and Senate must each approve their own HUD funding levels, and then reach agreement on them. The House Appropriations Subcommittee that deals with housing will hold a hearing on the HUD budget on Tuesday, March 14, which makes this week a great time to make your first calls on FY07 appropriations to your Congressional delegation.
Call the DC offices of your Representative and Senators this week, and ask to speak to the staff person in each who deals with housing issues.
The Message:
I know the House and Senate have begun the process of determining appropriations for the 2007 fiscal year. There is a great need for housing that people with low incomes can afford, especially in the wake of last year’s hurricanes. (Describe briefly the need for housing in your community.) Please reject the President’s request to cut overall HUD funding by nearly 2%. It is crucial that we not cut programs that invest in our communities and help our most vulnerable citizens. We are calling for full funding for all housing programs that benefit low income people, as well as funding for 100,000 additional housing vouchers.
Specifically, for each of the following programs, we ask that Congress:
(While all of the following programs are crucial, you may not have enough time on the phone to go through each program. You may want to pick one or two programs to talk about, and send the rest of these talking points to your Congressional delegation in a letter.)
Tenant Based Rental Assistance / Vouchers
• Provide adequate funding to renew all authorized vouchers.
• Base the voucher funding distribution system on the most recent 12- months of HUD data and ensure adequate appeals processes for unforeseen costs. The Administration’s proposal continues to tie a housing authority’s voucher funding to increasingly unreliable data, guaranteeing a loss of voucher units in FY07 for many housing authorities.
• Oppose the Administration’s proposal to only provide tenant protection vouchers to units currently under lease. This new proposal will result in the loss of critical housing subsidies locally as not all units lost have current leases.
• Appropriate funding for 100,000 new, incremental vouchers. After ensuring that all currently authorized vouchers are funded, funding for new vouchers is necessary to begin to meet the nation’s housing needs.
Project-Based Housing
• Adequate funding is necessary to renew all project-based contracts.
Public Housing
• Oppose the Administration’s proposal to cut the public housing capital fund by 10.7% ($261 million). There is a well-documented backlog of more than $20 billion in capital needs for the nation’s public housing stock.
• Additional funding is necessary for the public housing operating fund. The request seeks level-funding at $3.56 billion. However, $4.3 billion is necessary for the operation of public housing under the new asset-based management system.
Community Development Block Grants
• Oppose the Administration’s proposal to cut CDBG formula grants by 20% ($736 million). Approximately 24% of CDBG funds are used for affordable housing.
Homeless Assistance Grants, HOME and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
• Support the proposed 15.7% increase ($209 million) for Homeless Assistance Grants.
• Support the proposed 9.1% increase ($160 million) for the HOME program.
• Support the proposed 4.9% increase ($14 million) for HOPWA.
Housing for the Elderly, Housing for Persons with Disabilities, Fair Housing, Lead Paint
• Oppose the proposed 26% cut ($190 million) to the Section 202 housing for the elderly program.
• Oppose the proposed 50% cut ($118 million) to the Section 811 housing for people with disabilities program.
• Oppose the proposed 2% cut ($1 million) to fair housing programs.
• Oppose the proposed 23% cut ($35 million) to the lead-based paint hazard reduction program.
For More Information:
· An overview of the President’s proposal for FY07 HUD funding is available at www.nlihc.org/news/020906.html.
· Want to learn more about the Congressional budget and appropriations process? Check out www.nlihc.org/news/2007timeline.pdf.
· The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has an in-depth analysis of the President’s housing voucher proposal at www.cbpp.org/3-13-06hous.htm.
Write a Letter to the Editor:
Find a sample letter at http://capwiz.com/nlihc/issues/alert/? alertid=8570921&type=ME.
Questions? Call Kim Schaffer at 202-662-1530 x232. Please report the results of your calls to kim at nlihc.org. Find your Member of Congress atwww.nlihc.org by entering your zip code in the Contact Congress box.