2002-10-09 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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DeDicated solely to ending America's affordable housing crisis NATIONAL Low INCOME HOUSING COALITION/LfHIS October 4, 2002 The Honorable Dennis Hastert Speaker United States House of Representatives United States Capitol Wasbington. DC 20510 Dear Speaker Hasler!. On behalf of the 3,082 endorsers of National Housing Trust Fund campaign, I urge you to bring HR. 3995, the "Housing Affordability for America Act of 2002," to the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives befure the House adjourns. Further, we request that the HR. 3995 be brought to the floor under a modified role that will allow consideration of amendments on the National Housing Trust Fund and the Public Housing Drug Elimination program to be offered by Mr. Sanders and Ms. Lee respectively. The Financial Services Committee passed HR. 3995 by a voice vote on July 10, 2002. HR 3995 was the result of thoughtful and thorough worlc by the Financial Services Committee over the last two years. While we have concerns about some of the provisions in HR. 3995, on balance, the bill includes extremely important, long needed reforms and improvements for many federal housing programs, as well as new initiatives to address serious housing problems. HR. 3995 also provides for new investment in the building and preservation of rental housing for extremely low income families, which is the most critical housing need facing the nation today. This would be done with matching grants to sIaIe and local housing trust ftmds. While we think that a National Housing Trust Fund is a far superior approach to address this need, debate on the House floor on the two approaches will be vigorous and illuminating about the depth and breadth of the affordable housing crisis experienced by millions of American families every day. As you well know, all indicators point to the deterioration of the economic well-being of low and moderate income families. Not ouIy did the poverty rate go up in 2001 after declining every year since 1993, the number of people who fell into the bottom half of all poor people accounted for most of the increase. A recent report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition indicates that nationwide thc cost of rental housing has climbed 5% in the last year, and in some matkets it is up over 10"10. In 38 states and the District of Columbia, where 90"10 of all renters reside, the cost of rent exceeds what is affordable for someone with two full time jobs at the minimum wage. Voters agree that there is a shortage of housing that low wage worlcers and people with fixed incomes can afford to rent. In a bi- partisan poll commissioned by the National Low Income Housing in August 2002, 62% of likely voters said there was such a housing shortage and 66% said Congress needs to spend more money to do something about it. Congress can and must do more to assure that all Americans can find and maintain decent housing at an affordable cost. The time to act is now. BringHR 3995 up for a vote by the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank. you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, ~ Sheila Crowley, President National Low Income Housing Coalition