LeadingAge Joins Campaign Action Calling for Increased Housing Investment

September 06, 2024

BY Juliana Bilowich

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LeadingAge joined the national Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) in calling for increased investment into affordable housing for Fiscal Year 2025.

LeadingAge joined the national Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) on September 4 in calling for increased investment into affordable housing for Fiscal Year 2025. CHCDF's members represent a full continuum of national housing and community development organizations, including more than 70 faith-based, private sector, financial/intermediary, public sector, and advocacy groups.

The letter was sent to the so-called "four corners"-the two Republicans and two Democrats overseeing appropriations in Congress: Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), and House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK-4) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-NY-3).

The funding bills in each chamber have currently stalled ahead of the fiscal year end (September 30), and Congress will likely enact a short-term funding measure (called "Continuing Resolutions") while waiting to address full-year appropriations after the November presidential election.

LeadingAge strongly opposes the House bill, which does not provide new resources for homes developed through HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly or for Service Coordination in HUD-assisted housing. The Senate bill provided a welcome change but still falls short of meeting certain key LeadingAge priorities.

The September 4 letter states: "CHCDF urges Congress to pass final FY 2025 appropriations bills as quickly as possible. Longer-term continuing resolutions have significant impacts on housing, homelessness, and community development programs and can cause shortfalls since they maintain the same level of funding as the previous fiscal year. Because the cost of many housing, homelessness, and development programs are tied to market rates, which rise every year, flat funding acts as a cut, reducing the number of people that can be served."

The letter goes on to state: "We urge you to support-at minimum-the funding levels included in the Senate FY 2025 THUD and Agriculture appropriations bills and pass timely, responsible funding for HUD and RHS programs in FY 2025. Federal housing, homelessness, and community development programs are effective, but the success of these programs depends on a reliable and fully operating HUD and RHS."

Read more about the House and Senate funding bills here.