Urgent Grassroots Issues

This webpage is dedicated to providing members current grassroots advocacy action campaigns. Current topics and opportunities for participation are listed below, and these will be updated as new issues arise.

August 23, 2022

Urge Members of Congress to work together to ensure affordable housing and rental assistance programs receive funding.

Ask your lawmakers to provide increased funding for affordable housing and rental assistance programs that preserve, rehabilitate, and create new affordable units.

Dear NAHMA Members,

I hope this email finds you well. Congress is in recess and Lawmakers are back in their Home Districts.  This is an excellent opportunity to remind Lawmakers on the importance the work you and your staffs in communities across the country. Over the next few weeks, Congress is negotiating annual funding to keep the federal government operating after Sept. 30.  This is a great opportunity to advocate for increased investments in affordable housing and rental assistance programs. It is imperative NAHMA members convey the need for affordable housing and rental assistance, and help lawmakers understand the vital role these programs have in their communities. Please contact your lawmakers and tell them to:   

  1. Urge your lawmakers to fully fund housing and community development programs for fiscal year 2023 that support and protect hard-working families, low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities.
  2. Address homelessness and housing instability by increasing and expanding rental assistance. Ask lawmakers to support increased funding and expand access for the Housing Choice Voucher program and Project-Based Rental Assistance (including Sec. 202 and Sec. 811) and Sec. 521 Rural Rental Assistance.
  3. Support the preservation of Affordable Housing by funding the HOME Program, the Housing Trust Fund, and the Multifamily Rural Preservation and Revitalization program.
  4. Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). Ask your lawmakers to support passage of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (S. 1136 / H.R. 2573) to enhance and expand LIHTC.

Please take a moment to email your lawmakers, or NAHMA members can request a Virtual Meeting with lawmaker(s) offices.

Your legislators want to hear from you. You can help us and add your voice by completing these steps:

  1. NAHMA can assist in setting up virtual meetings with your lawmakers and you may contact Larry or Michal with your meeting requests. Please note that due to the evolving nature of Congressional schedules, interested NAHMA members should provide several dates of availability for a virtual meeting. 
  2. Enter your address to contact your U.S. Senator(s) and Representative (s), utilizing this free tool: https://democracy.io/#!/
    1. Please complete the respective categories with your email and contact information.
      1. Subject: Congress Must Support Increased Funding for Affordable Housing Programs
      1. Message to copy and paste: NAHMA members continue to be on the frontlines, working to improve the lives of our residents every day, while navigating a pandemic and economic challenges (increased operating costs, labor shortages, and supply chain delays). We urge you to support increased funding for rental assistance programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher, Project Based Rental Assistance (Sec. 202 and Sec. 811) and for the Rural Rental Assistance Program; to support the preservation of affordable housing by funding the HOME program, the Housing Trust Fund and the Multifamily Rural Preservation and Revitalization program; and to increase the new construction of affordable housing by supporting LIHTC and the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act.
      1. At the end, Select one of the following Topics:  “Housing”, “Housing and Community Development”, or “Banking and Financial Services”.
  2. Members can find recent letters NAHMA sent to Congress on a range of issues including: NAHMA Urges Congress to Provide Funding Increases for Affordable Housing and Rental Assistance (May 25, 2022); NAHMA and Industry Partners Provide Comments on  H.R.7981 – Public and Federally Assisted Housing Fire Safety Act of 2022 (August 2, 2022); NAHMA and Industry Partners Request Congress to Continue Funding RA Contracts Provided Through the American Rescue Plan Act (July 8, 2022); and LIHTC-related advocacy materials on the Affordable Credit Improvement Act (ACTION’s Campaign’s Advocacy Toolkit).
  3. Keep up the advocacy–Congress will be in recess until after Labor Day, so let them know your thoughts!

Thanks,

NAHMA Government Affairs Team

December 1, 2021

Dear NAHMA Members,

Funding for HUD and USDA Rural Housing Programs is set to expire on Friday, December 3rd. Congress is currently considering a short-term extension to provide time to pass full-year Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 government funding bills. Without this extension, we are facing a government shutdown, which will negatively impact all rental assistance programs. Urge Congress to support affordable housing programs and prevent a government shutdown by passing the extension needed to complete the full year funding bills.

Congress is divided over political disputes unrelated to housing and this is jeopardizing government funding for the rest of this fiscal year (FY22). Ask your lawmakers to fully fund affordable housing programs. A government shutdown is harmful to families living in affordable housing, and they are harmful to our industry.
• Request full funding: Urge your lawmakers to enact FY2022 full-year funding for HUD and USDA housing programs.

Your legislators want to hear from you. You can help us and add your voice by completing these steps:

  1. Enter your address to contact your U.S. Senator(s) and Representative (s), utilizing this free tool: https://democracy.io/#!/
    1. Please complete the respective categories with your email and contact information.
      1. Subject: Please pass full year FY2022 funding bills for HUD and USDA
      2. Message: This pandemic has reminded everyone that housing providers are in the frontlines of keeping our communities healthy and safe. NAHMA members are working to improve the lives of our residents every day, while navigating a very uncertain time during this crisis. Don’t undermine our efforts, disrupt the lives of our resident and their communities; government shutdowns are completely unnecessary at this time, because they are harmful to families living in affordable housing, and they are harmful to the real estate industry. Please pass full year funding bills for HUD and USDA, by taking the necessary action to prevent a government shutdown.
      3. At the end, Select the Topics:  “Housing” or “Housing and Community Development”

Thank you,

NAHMA Government Affairs Team

July 26,2021

Dear NAHMA Members,

I hope this message finds you well. Next week, NAHMA and housing industry colleagues will meet with leaders from the Biden Administration, including White House staff and leaders from key agencies HUD, USDA, Treasury, and CFPB.  This discussion will center around eviction moratorium expiration, aiding residents to obtain emergency rental assistance, and vaccination outreach efforts. Our goal is to highlight the critical work that the affordable housing management industry has and continues to do during this pandemic, while advocating for increased funding support from the administration.

Separately, we are also requesting member participation in video campaign to support LIHTC.  Our advocacy request to members is two parts:

Please take a moment to share a story with NAHMA.

We are requesting brief summaries on how you and/or your company have assisted residents with vaccination clinics, obtaining emergency rental assistance, and providing other support (financial or resident service-related). Quantifiable information will be very helpful and greatly appreciated (for example data on the amount of vaccination clinics hosted/resident vaccinated, Amount of emergency rental assistance requested/received, or other resident support through prepayment agreements with residents, or events.) There is no length requirement, please share any information that you would like to highlight. If you or your company has a write-up or publication, please feel free to share it as an alternative.  **As always, NAHMA commits to protecting the identity of our members in discussion with the Administration and Lawmakers.  Unless you give us permission, all stories will be listed under “NAHMA Member”.**  

Please respond to this email or email Michal (at mmachnowski@nahma.org )  or Larry (lkeys@nahma.org ).

Deadline: Monday, August 2, 2021.   

Share Your Housing Credit Story (Video Contest)

NAHMA is also requesting member participation to highlight the critical role that LIHTC plays in communities around the country.  In support of the ACTION Campaign, NAHMA “needs you to share your Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) story!  ACTION is requesting you to submit short video clips (2 minutes or less) by Friday, July 30, demonstrating how the Housing Credit allows you to do the work you do and impacts your community and the people you serve. These videos will help connect the real-life impact of the Housing Credit and the need for Congress to strengthen and expand the Housing Credit through the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act.”  For additional information on this effort, including How it Works, Instructions, and Video Tips, please visit: HERE.  

Deadline: Friday, July 30, 2021.   

Your participation and feedback is vital in our advocacy efforts to obtain significant affordable housing investments, industry relief, and program funding.

Thank you in advance,

NAHMA Government Affairs Team

 

For information on contacting your Congressional Representatives please visit:

Please note that participating in a NAHMA request for communication with your Congressional representatives will not cause you to be considered a Lobbyist under federal guidelines. The definition for Lobbyist under federal guidelines is as follows, and all three conditions must be met:

Lobbyist: Any individual (1) who is either employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation (2) whose services include more than one lobbying contact; and (3) whose “lobbying activities” constitute 20 percent or more of his or her services on behalf of that client during any three month period.

To learn more about federal guidelines in lobbying and the role of the AHMAs in the advocacy process, please read this report:
NAHMA Grassroots Advocacy: AHMA 501(c)3 Organizations and Their Role in Advocacy