NAHMA’s top priority for the ongoing Budget Conference Committee is to see an end to the across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration. This Budget Conference Committee’s goal is to resolve the differences between the House and Senate budget blueprints so that the necessary appropriations bills to fund the federal government may be passed before the current continuing resolution (CR) ends on January 15, 2014. The Committee has set a deadline of December 13, 2013 to finalize negotiations.
NAHMA is urging members to call their Representative’s/Senators’ office and voice support for ending sequestration in the FY 2014 budget. We suggest members should use these talking points and their own experiences to explain why sequestration must be replaced:

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that eliminating the sequester could add 900,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in 2014.

The direct impact of sequestration and insufficient funding on affordable housing properties in 2013:

  • The effects of short-funding Project-based Section 8 contracts.
  • Insufficient funding for Rural Rental Assistance (USDA’s Rural Development, Section 521 RA).
  • The effect on employees and any planed renovations/critical repairs to the property (remember to address how this will harm your local economy).
  • The impacts that will be felt by seniors, disabled individuals, and families with children under additional sequester cuts.
  • Unpredictable or insufficient funding in 2014 could lead to further harm to Project-based Section 8 and Section 521 (rural) Rental Assistance properties.

Another round of sequestration could result in low-income families losing Housing Choice Voucher assistance in 2014.

Please use NAHMA Maps to find your Senators and Representative; follow this link to view a complete list of the members on the Budget Conference Committee. If you do not live in the district or state of any of these lawmakers, you can still participate by calling your Representative and Senators to ask them to tell the Budget Conference Committee members to end sequestration.