Government remains open temporarily as border security negotiations begin
Congressional negotiators met this week for their first meeting at part of a conference committee established to reach a border security agreement and keep the rest of the government open beyond February 15, 2019. The committee’s first public meeting focused on finding common ground for a compromise.
About 25% of the federal government – including HUD and USDA – is currently operating on a three-week stop gap funding bill that expires on February 15th. The President previously said he would not sign the funding bills into law if Congress does not include certain border security funding.
NAHMA continues to advocate for full-year funding for housing programs and urges Congress to avoid another lapse in funding for HUD, USDA, and other agencies for Fiscal Year 2019. We will keep members up-to-date.
Legislation introduced to protect source of income under Fair Housing Act
Early in the new Congress, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) re-introduced her “Landlord Accountability Act,” which would ban housing discrimination based on the use of a Housing Choice Voucher. The bill makes source of income a protected class under the Fair Housing Act and establish fines for landlords who intentionally disqualify units from federal housing programs.
Beyond assisting Section 8 voucher holders, the bill would direct federal resources to local programs benefiting other housing programs: A new $25 million grant program would steer resources to agencies that provide tenants with assistance and legal advice. Additionally, the bill establishes a new “Multifamily Housing Complaint Resolution Program” to investigate and resolve disputes between tenants and owners through mediation.
In a press release about the legislation, Congresswoman said, “We have a burgeoning affordable housing crisis in our city, making any efforts to remove units from the Section 8 program even more harmful. We need strong, enforceable steps to punish bad actors and deter abuses before they occur.”
The legislation echoes a trend of housing legislation introduced late in the previous Congress that seek to address source of income discrimination. Although Rep. Velazquez’s legislation did not advance in the previous Congress, it is more likely to be taken up by the Democrat-led House Financial Services Committee this Congress.
Plan your March Hill Visits and participate in NAHMA’s Hill Visit Challenge
With many new faces in Congress this year, and the ongoing funding uncertainty destabilizing NAHMA member communities, affordable housing advocacy is more important than ever. While in town for the March Meeting, meet with your lawmakers or their staff on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the impacts of affordable housing in your area.
NAHMA can assist with deciding which offices are most relevant for housing issues in your area, scheduling meetings, and providing talking points. Please let us know by February 8th if you would like assistance so that we can reach out to Congressional offices on your behalf and prepare any materials.
While on Capitol Hill, you can also join NAHMA’s “March Meeting Hill Visit Challenge.” Participation is easy: Simply snap a photo during your prearranged Hill meeting (or in front of the Congressional office), and send it to jbilowich@nahma.org. Each meeting earns points to help your AHMA win our Challenge bracket! To earn extra points, post your photos on social media or bring someone new to advocacy to the meeting with you (or go to the Hill yourself as a first-timer – NAHMA can assist by attending a limited number of meetings with you).
For more information about the Hill Visit Challenge, please click here.