Take Action on April 10! Thank Congressional Champions for Increased Federal Investments in Affordable Housing

Over the last year, you joined with advocates throughout the country to urge members of Congress not only to reject President Trump’s call to slash affordable housing and community development investments, but to provide much-needed increases in funding. Congress listened, and together we achieved a 10% increase in federal investments in HUD’s programs in FY18. Congressional champions were critical in achieving this victory.

Join NLIHC and the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) in showing our gratitude to members of Congress who helped secure these important increases to affordable housing and community development investments (See related article in this issue of Memo). On April 10, we will be having a “Day of Thanks” to show our appreciation and encourage Congress to again reject President Trump’s proposed FY19 cuts to housing benefits that help struggling seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and other people in need keep roofs over their heads.

Show your gratitude: Tweet at Congressional champions, call, or email on April 10, thanking them for rejecting harmful cuts and for increasing federal investments in important affordable housing and community development programs.

• • Twitter: We will hold a tweetstorm at 2 pm ET on April 10. Following are some sample tweets you can use:
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for your work to secure needed funding increases for affordable housing and community development programs in the FY18 appropriations bill. This funding helps ensure more people have a safe, accessible, affordable home.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for rejecting harsh cuts in favor of providing housing for seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and other vulnerable communities.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for increasing funding for public housing by $959 million in FY18. This funding helps seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children have a safe, accessible, affordable home.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for increasing funding for Homeless Assistance Grants by $130 million. This increase will allow an additional 20,000-25,000 people move from homelessness to housing.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for expanding housing assistance for very low income people with disabilities. This funding can help provide vouchers to 40,000 new recipients who have disabilities. 
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for expanding housing assistance for very low income people with disabilities. This funding can allow for construction of more than 1,800 new homes for persons with disabilities.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for providing funding to create 760 new homes to help older adults.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for providing funding for all existing tenant-based rental assistance, and for providing new HUD-VASH and Family Unification Program vouchers targeted toward veterans and families.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for increasing funding for CDBG, which allows state and local governments to respond to their communities’ needs.
    • Thank you @SenatorCollins @SenJackReed @MarioDB @RepDavidEPrice for expanding affordable housing through the HOME program. The additional $412 million will help low income households by rehabbing their homes and building new ones.
  • Call: Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 to speak with an operator who will connect you to your lawmakers.
  • Email: Email your lawmakers here.