White House seeks stop-gap funding measure through mid-December
The Trump Administration has submitted to Congress a request for a Continuing Resolution (CR) to temporarily fund the government at 2017 levels when the Fiscal Year ends on September 30, 2017. The White House request also includes extensions for expiring programs, such as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), if extension legislation is not passed separately before October.
The requested CR, which would fund rental assistance and other federal programs through mid-December, 2017, would avert a government shutdown at the end of September and buy lawmakers more time to reach an FY18 appropriations agreement; however, the short-term funding measure would also set up another fiscal deadline – with potentially higher stakes – ahead of the holiday season.
Congress returns from their district work period after Labor Day to a slew of unfinished business and only twelve scheduled days in to end of fiscal year. Two pressing items include the deadline to raise the debt ceiling and avoiding a government shutdown.
NAHMA supports full FY18 funding for housing programs, and NAHMA members continue to advocate for higher Fiscal Year 2018 appropriations levels for HUD and USDA, such as those approved by the
Senate Committees this summer. With timing tight, lawmakers need to hear from constituents about the importance of affordable housing programs. For more information, please review our recent
grassroots alert, or
get in touch to schedule meetings with legislators in-district or during visits to Washington, D.C.
Legislation introduced to provide rent relief through refundable tax credit
This week, Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) introduced a bill aimed at relieving rent burdens through a tax credit for renter households. The refundable credit, provided through “the Rent Relief Act,” would be earned by renters who pay more than 30% of their income in rent for a primary residence at fair market value. In addition, tenants whose rent is made more affordable through government housing subsidies would qualify for an annual tax credit equal to one month of the tenant rent contribution.
According to Rep. Crowley’s
press release, over 100 million Americans currently live in rental housing, and more than half are considered “cost-burdened” in that they pay more than 30% of their income for housing; in addition, rent-burdened individuals can face difficulties affording necessities such as commuter transportation cost, health and child care, and groceries.
“Unfortunately, the demand for rental housing continues to outpace supply, and while all signs point to higher rents in the future, wages remain stagnant,” said Representative Crowley, whose state experiences one of the highest rates housing unaffordability in the
country.
HUD’s 2017
Worst Case Housing Needs Report, which was released this month, estimates that rent burdens rose significantly in recent years, with 8.3 million very low income unassisted families paying more than 50% of their incomes on rent or living in substandard housing.
