2002-10-09 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign do National Low Income Housing Coalition' 1012 Fourteenth Street, NW, Suite 610 . Washington, D.C. 20005 . (202) 662-1530 phone' (202) 393-1973 fux. www.nhtf.org For immediate release: October 4, 2002 For more information: Kim Schaffer, National Low Income Housing Coalition, 202-662-1530 x230 Groups urge action on National Housing Trust Fund Campaign sends letter to Speaker calling for vote on stalled bill The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign, representing more than 3,000 organizations. religious leaders and elected officials, today sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) urging him to bring to the floor for a vote omnibus housing legislation that has stalled after passing out of committee this summer. In addition, the Campaign is calling for a vote on the National Housing Trust Fund as an amendment to the omnibus legislation. The omnibus housing bill, H.R. 3995, passed the Financial Services Committee by voice vote on July 10 with a modest housing production proposal attached. Members of the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign and Congressional supporters say that while the omnibus legislation should at a minimum be passed, more needs to be done. They say a National Housing Trust Fund-which would provide communities with funds to build, rehabilitate and preserve 1.5 million affordable homes by the end of the decade-is needed and has a real chance of passing the full House. With adjournment fast approaching, time for consideration of the bill is growing short. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 10:00 AM in Room 2237 of the Raybum Office Building, Members of the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign will join Democratic Members of the House Financial Services Committee at a press conference to press for action on stalled housing legislation. "The public understands there is a real need for housing, and they want Congress to debate and vote on affordable housing legislation," said Sheila Crowley, President of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, one of the lead organizations of the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign. ''We urge the House leadership to allow this debate to take place." The National Housing Trust Fund has been steadily gaining momentum in Congress and across the country; stand-alone National Housing Trust Fund legislation (H.R. 2349) has an impressive 196 cosponsors in the House. In addition, Congressional supporters say the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign is the largest grassroots effort in which they have ever been involved. Voters agree that there is a shortage of housing that low wage workers and people with fIXed incomes can afford to rent. In a bi-parlisan 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. A National Housing Trust Fund would be modeled on the more than 280 successful state and local housing trust funds across the country. More information is at www.nhtf.ora. #1##