Enterprise: Community Developments: President Trump Signs Two-Year Budget Deal Into Law

• Today, President Trump signed into law a two-year bipartisan budget agreement. This legislation raises spending limits by $320 billion over current levels and suspends the federal debt ceiling until July 31, 2021. The deal passed the two chambers of Congress after being negotiated by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. It is now anticipated that Senate appropriators will move forward with fiscal year 2020 spending legislation when they return from August recess. (Politico, August)

• On Tuesday and Wednesday in Detroit, 2020 presidential candidates raised important housing issues during the second round of the DNC's 2020 Presidential Primary Debates. Candidates spoke about the ways in which robust and intelligent housing policy can improve healthcare outcomes, increase racial equity and drive economic growth. These strategies include enacting protections to prevent discrimination and exploitation in the housing market and addressing the lack of safe, stable, and affordable housing as part of any economic revitalization effort. Enterprise applauds all the candidates who have raised the issue on the national stage, both in debates and in their housing policy platforms. For more information, read our new blog post and sign up for our bi-weekly Capitol Express newsletter.

• Enterprise has published a blog post, titled “People Are Talking About Up-Zoning: Here's What You Should Know.” Authored by Zion Campbell, state and local policy intern at Enterprise, and Jacob Share, public policy intern at Enterprise, the blog discusses recent federal, state and local efforts aimed at addressing land use and regulatory barriers to housing development. The blog notes that several jurisdictions, including Minneapolis and Oregon, have been exploring addressing their affordability challenges with a “racial equity lens, creating an opportunity to reverse the legacy of discriminatory housing and investment policies that have created persistent challenges.” The post also emphasizes that “planning for equitable and flexible land use must be complemented with additional resources, policies, and programs that can help increase the production and preservation of affordable housing.”

Courtesy of Enterprise