Dear John,

Today, I was proud to join my colleagues to announce that our legislation, the LIFELINE Act, led to the publication of revised guidance by the Treasury Department that will unlock an additional $8 billion for affordable housing from the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.

Too many families in Charlotte, North Carolina, and across the country are suffering due to the housing crisis. The $8 billion in already-appropriated funds that this decision unlocks for affordable housing will be a lifeline for American families. I want to thank our bipartisan co-leads for joining me on the LIFELINE Act and spurring the Treasury Department into action. This is a major win our community, for increasing housing stock and lowering the cost of housing for thousands of Americans and for our collective efforts to address the affordable housing crisis.”

“Increasing the nation’s housing supply is essential to lowering shelter costs over the long-term,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. “Treasury continues to strongly encourage state and local governments to dedicate a portion of the historic funding available through President Biden’s American Rescue Plan toward building and rehabilitating affordable housing in their communities and the actions being announced today will make it even easier for them to do so. Treasury appreciates the partnership with housing advocates and Members of Congress, including those who co-sponsored the LIFELINE Act, whose advocacy helped inform today’s announcement.”

“Representatives Adams, Maloney, and Rouzer’s and Senators Collins and Leahy’s tenacious leadership will get more affordable housing built in North Carolina and many other states,” said Stockton Williams, executive director of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. “Treasury’s announcement today of a policy based on her legislation is indeed a lifeline for countless working families who will have more stable and affordable homes.”

Additionally, the NCSHA wrote today, “The bipartisan leadership of Senators Leahy (D-VT) and Collins (R-ME) and Representatives Adams (D-NC) and Rouzer (R-NC) was also instrumental in the development of Treasury’s policy. NCSHA commends them for their sponsorship of the LIFELINE Act, which led to this game-changing announcement."

You can read more about the LIFELINE Act and today's victory here.

Sincerely,

Rep. Alma S. Adams, Ph.D.