Enterprise: Community Developments: Senators Introduce Bipartisan Affordable Housing Task Force

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Community Developments: Senators Introduce Bipartisan Affordable Housing Task Force

• This week Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act, a bill to establish a bipartisan affordable housing task force to evaluate how our nation's severe shortage of affordable housing impacts people's lives and other government programs . The task force would comprise 18 members and be charged with evaluating the impact of a lack of affordable housing on life outcomes, quantifying costs incurred by other federal, state and local programs due to a lack of affordable housing, and making recommendations to Congress on how to use affordable housing to improve lives and the cost effectiveness of other federal programs. In response to the proposal, Enterprise's president Laurel Blatchford stated that “Enterprise is thrilled to see this bipartisan group of Senators committed to evaluating how our country's growing shortage of affordable housing affects residents, communities, and the economy." Read more about the Task Force on Enterprise's blog.

• Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) has introduced a bill that would create a refundable tax credit for renters who pay more than 30 percent of their annual gross income on rent and utilities. The Rent Relief Act, co-sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), would provide a refundable tax credit to cost-burdened renters earning less than $100,000, with the benefit shrinking as a tenant's income rose. Companion legislation (H.R. 3670) was introduced by Representative Joseph Crowley (D-NY-14) in the House last September. (The Washington Post, July 19)

• On Monday the Senate will take up a four-bill appropriations 'minibus' package, including the fiscal year (FY) 2019 spending bills for Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD); Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); Agriculture; and Interior and Environment. The House has already passed its FSGG and Inter-Environment spending bills but not yet passed those for THUD or Agriculture. They wouldneed to do so before conferencing with the Senate, although the House could also vote on the Senate's version of those bills. (PoliticoPro, July 20). Enterprise supports the Senate version of the THUD and FSGG bills, since they provide more support for crucial housing and community development programs than the House versions. For more information on FY 2019 appropriations, read Enterprise's blog post and see an updated budget and appropriations chart.

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Courtesy of Enterprise