NAHMA Grassroots Alert: Urge Congress to End the Government Shutdown and Support Affordable Housing Programs

January 10, 2019

 

Urge Congress to support affordable housing programs and pass full year funding bills.

 

Urge Congress to enact full-year funding for HUD and USDA

 Today, the House of Representatives passed funding legislation that would reopen HUD and USDA with full-year funding (H.R. 267 and H.R. 265). However, the bills are not likely to receive a final vote in the Senate, unless President Trump indicates he will not veto the spending bills.

Funding for HUD and USDA Rural Housing Programs expired on Dec. 21, 2018, and normal operations at both agencies are shutdown, which is negatively impacting all rental assistance programs, tenants, and NAHMA member properties.

  • Shutdown resources, agency information, and advocacy materials are available here. 

Ask Senators, Governors, and Local Media to protect affordable housing

 Negotiations between the White House and Congress have stalled over a disagreement over immigration funding, delaying vital government funding for HUD and USDA for the rest of this fiscal year (FY19).

  • Ask Senators to fully fund affordable housing programs. A government shutdown and temporary stopgap funding measures are harmful to families living in affordable housing, and they are harmful to our industry.
  • Request full funding: Urge your Senators to enact full-year funding for HUD and USDA housing programs.
    • Fiscal Year 2019 Factsheet is available here 
    • A recent NAHMA letter sent to Congress provides program-by-program impacts that can be shared in your advocacy message
  • Educate your Governors and Local Media outlets on the harmful impacts of a prolonged shutdown to properties and tenants.Governors can often be an important voice to both Congress and the White House, when they are informed. The local media can educate the public, as well as bring local awareness to an issue. For reference, national outlets are already running stories on affordable housing and the harmful impacts of the shutdown. For example, the following new stories recently appeared on CNN and NBC. 

Please take a moment to call or email your lawmakers

 Your legislators want to hear from you. Please let decision-makers in Washington know how harmful the shutdown is to affordable housing programs and communities.

  • Utilize our new template letter (available here)
  • Reach out to NAHMA Government Affairs staff for assistance with advocacy in DC and in your district
  • Consider letting NAHMA staff know that you've reached out to lawmakers to help us track our nationwide outreach efforts

 

This alert is also available online here.

 Thanks,

Juliana and Larry

 

Juliana Bilowich, Manager of Government Affairs
National Affordable Housing Management Association
400 N. Columbus St., Suite 203, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone 703-683-8630, ext.116 Email [email protected], Website www.nahma.org
NAHMA is the leading voice for affordable housing management, advocating on behalf of multifamily property managers and owners whose mission is to provide quality affordable housing.