From the National Council on Independent Living Weekly Advocacy Monitor, September 27, 2010
As you might recall, The National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) was created in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) to address the lack of rental homes that are affordable for the lowest income families. There have been several unsuccessful attempts to fund the NHTF. In the FY 10 and FY 11 budget requests, The President proposed $1.065 billion in funding for the NHTF.
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) has introduced The Job Creation and Tax Cuts Act of 2010 (S. 3793), which helps create jobs and provides tax cuts for people paying college tuition, state and local taxes, and property taxes. Within this bill, there is a provision for funding the NHTF at $1 billion to capitalize the NHTF and $65 million in project-based vouchers to be used with NHTF grants. In some materials that followed S. 3793, Senator Baucus underscored the importance of funding the NHTF, stating that it “will provide communities with funds to build, preserve, and rehabilitate rental homes that are affordable for very low income households”.
Since Congress is expected to recess early in October for the November elections, it is more likely that the bill will move after the elections during a lame duck session.
NCIL urges you to call your Senators and stress the importance of funding the National Housing Trust Fund, as it provides housing for low-income families including many people with disabilities. Get more information on this bill.