John,

Access to affordable housing underlies every other human health need and outcome: health care, racial justice, safety, children’s well-being, nutrition, recovery from mental illness and addiction, and so importantly, the end of homelessness.

Yet despite passage of infrastructure bills and efforts to lower inflation, we are experiencing a devastating shortage of affordable housing in the United States. 2022 was the first year in U.S. history that the median rent across the country exceeded the average income.

There are 26 affordable apartments for every 100 extremely low-income households, representing a shortage of 7.3 million affordable rentals for these families; yet in the last 20 years, the U.S. has produced 5.5 million fewer homes than it did in the previous 20.

Housing costs drive inflation and threaten long-term growth. Click here to sign the petition and demand a future where every family, regardless of income, can afford a place to call home. Tell Congress: we need affordable housing NOW!

As the leading national organization working for affordable housing, the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) is focused on a broad spectrum of housing needs: housing for very low income families, persons with special needs, the elderly, and people experiencing and at risk for homelessness, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. They have identified the following legislative priorities for Congress this year:

To increase the supply of affordable rental apartments, Congress must expand and strengthen the Low Income Housing Tax Credit by passing the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, and other legislation.

To stimulate affordable for-sale housing, Congress must pass the Affordable Housing Bond Enhancement Act, which will increase access to mortgage bonds and credit certificates, and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, to secure new sources of capital.

Updated federal regulations are needed to streamline the utilization of Emergency Rental Assistance and Homeowner Assistance funds; while legislative and regulatory changes are needed to better access the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Housing Trust Fund, and to fully utilize recently passed federal energy funding.

To improve access for communities of color and those harmed by disasters and discrimination, Congress must pass the Community Reinvestment Act and the Fair Housing Act, and must appropriate sufficient funding to the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

Affordable housing is a multi-faceted problem that requires a multi-pronged approach. Click here to tell Congress, it’s time to pass all the needed legislation, and fund all the necessary programs, to bring affordable housing within reach of millions of Americans.

Thank you for bringing Congressional focus to this most basic of human needs: a place to call home.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund