Senate Democrats released a $1 trillion infrastructure plan the week of January 22 that they say would create 15 million jobs over 10 years. The plan includes $100 billion for “revitalizing America’s Main Streets,” which could include investments in “solutions geared toward helping the more than 11.4 million households that pay more than half of their income monthly on rent, including expanding existing tax incentives and other affordable housing federal programs.”
Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Tom Carper (D-DE) plan to introduce legislation in the coming weeks.
NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel praised the Senators for recognizing the importance of affordable housing investments in a comprehensive infrastructure package. “An investment in affordable housing infrastructure for the lowest income people would provide our nation with the resources it needs to help the economy, local communities, and families thrive.”
NLIHC advocates that any comprehensive infrastructure package should include an expansion of the national Housing Trust Fund, an increase in Housing Choice Vouchers or other rental assistance to help connect families to areas of opportunity, resources to rehabilitate public housing, and the inclusion of affordable housing developments among projects eligible for loans and equity investments through a national infrastructure bank.
Ms. Yentel’s statement is at: http://nlihc.org/press/releases/7460
NLIHC’s factsheet on Affordable Housing Infrastructure is at: http://bit.ly/2fDBAIX