CLPHA Advocacy

CLPHA supports the nation’s largest and most innovative housing authorities by advocating for the resources and policies they need to solve local housing challenges and create communities of opportunity. We frequently champion our members' issues, needs, and successes on the Hill, at HUD, and in the media. In these arenas CLPHA also advocates for legislation and policies that help our members, and the public and affordable housing industry as a whole, strengthen neighborhoods and improve lives.

Click below for links to congressional testimonies, statements for the record, action alerts, comments to HUD and other federal agencies, and the latest information about CLPHA's multi-pronged housing advocacy.

Action Alerts

1.26.22

CLPHA, Industry Groups Urge PHAs to Sign Congressional Letter Advocating for Housing Funding Levels to Be Kept in Build Back Better Act

10.6.21

ACTION ALERT: KEEP HOUSING FUNDING IN BUILD BACK BETTER ACT

CLPHA has been made aware that funding for housing is at serious risk of being removed from the Build Back Better Act under consideration in the budget reconciliation negotiations currently underway in Congress and the White House. The House Financial Services Committee on September 14 provided $327 billion in funding for affordable housing and community development programs to be included in the President’s Build Back Better Act. The housing investments in this economic recovery package is expected to help make transformational improvements in the lives of low-income and vulnerable Americans and in our communities. The negotiations are on a fast track and taking place at the highest levels between the House and Senate leadership, key members of Congress, and the White House. We understand Congress and the White House have not heard from housing stakeholders on the importance of keeping housing in the legislation. We have been told that the next 48 hours are critical to keeping housing in the legislation. Since housing is very much on the chopping block, we encourage CLPHA members to: Reach out to your representatives in the House and Senate and ask them to contact their leadership and express support for retaining the housing provisions in the Build Back Better Act. We cannot overstate how important it is for you to contact your Congresspersons and Senators and have them communicate with their Leadership and the White House that HOUSING MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT!


Important Talking Points Include: In January 2020, HUD) reported at least 580,466 people were homeless, which represents a 2.2 percent increase from 2019. Despite these growing needs, only 1 in 5 eligible families currently receive assistance. Public housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers play a critical role in our nation's infrastructure and social safety net, providing families with a stable home and assisting them in opportunities for upward mobility. Across the United States, public housing provides almost 1 million units of housing to over 1.8 million people, including 800,000 children, and more than half the population in public housing is elderly and disabled. The 2.3 million Section 8 housing choice vouchers house an additional 5.2 million people including 2.2 million children. In many cities and towns across the nation, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities and families with children rely on public housing, now perhaps more than ever before. In some instances, no other source of housing could take its place more readily or affordably. An investment in public housing capital needs will spur local economic growth, as occurred with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 99.9% of all public housing ARRA capital funds were obligated and expended under accelerated time frames. With $4 billion in capital funds, researchers found that agencies invested in over 245,000 affordable units, created 26 jobs for every $1 million spent on capital projects, and generated nearly $12.5 billion in national economic activity.¹


	¹Public Housing Stimulus Funding: A Report on the Economic Impact of Recovery Act Capital Improvements, Commissioned by PHADA, CLPHA and NAHRO with funding from the Housing Authority Insurance (HAI) Group, 2011.

4.28.21

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the SAVE Act

3.25.21

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Broadband Access

2.10.21

ACTION ALERT: ASK CONGRESS TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOUSING VOUCHERS IN THE NEXT COVID-19 RELIEF BILL

8.12.20

ACTION ALERT: CLPHA CALLS ON MEMBERS TO ENDORSE THE YIMBY ACT

7.22.20

ACTION ALERT: TELL YOUR SENATORS THAT HOUSING AUTHORITIES NEED EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE SENATE STIMULUS BILL

Emergency rental assistance is in jeopardy in the latest stimulus package in the Senate. Early indication is that housing assistance and direct rental assistance will not be a part of the Senate legislative package. The Senate is debating the stimulus right now. Renters are facing a devastating cliff with CARES Act protections expiring at the end of this month. Public housing authorities’ voices are critical to the Senate debate. The Senate returned this week, resuming legislative activity for the next two weeks until their next recess begins August 7. This is the last opportunity to pass emergency economic relief and stimulus legislation in 2020 before Congress hits the campaign trail for the November elections. The recent House-passed HR 6800, the “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act” or the “HEROES Act,” is a critically needed legislative package designed to provide economic relief to states, cities, local jurisdictions, medical front-line workers, first responders, unemployed persons, consumers, students, renters, homeowners, housing providers, and more. The HEROES Act provides over $114 billion in funding for housing and community development programs. It includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, $4 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, $2 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, and $750 million for Project Based Rental Assistance. For this reason, CLPHA is urging members to make your voices heard to ensure emergency rental assistance is included in the next economic relief and stimulus package. CLPHA is calling for the $100 billion under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG) to be made flexible to allow different funding portals, such as emergency single-use housing vouchers, or for other rental assistance platforms be able to allocate the funds.

CLPHA strongly encourages members to:

Urge your Senators to include housing and rental assistance in the next economic relief and stimulus package.
Ask your Senators to allow $100 billion in ESG funds from the HEROES Act be made flexible for delivery through multiple funding platforms, such as emergency single-use housing vouchers.

Without your active engagement with your Senators, providing additional housing assistance to housing authorities will be jeopardized.

Senators must hear from you to know this is important!

For questions or additional information, contact CLPHA Legislative Director Gerard Holder at gholder@clpha.org.

4.13.20

ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress That Housing Authorities Need Additional Housing Assistance in the Next COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill

3.24.20

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Ask Congress to Include Public Housing in the COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill

Over the past weekend of March 21, we asked CLPHA members to sign onto a letter to be sent to congressional leadership asking for emergency funding and longer-term preservation resources for public housing and housing vouchers in a COVID-19 stimulus package.

Sign on deadline for the letter has been extended. Negotiations for a third supplemental economic stimulus legislative package continue. The House Democrats under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi recently unveiled their separate stimulus package, and the possibility of a fourth economic stimulus legislative package is also being discussed.

Therefore, CLPHA is calling on members to re-double efforts to ensure our funding and regulatory relief requests are considered by Congress.

Specifically, CLPHA asks members to:

Sign-on to the letter sent this past weekend, if you have not already done so
Send a letter to your Members of Congress and ask them to support including emergency funding and longer-term preservation resources for public housing and housing vouchers in the next COVID-19 economic stimulus legislation. (see attached form letter)
Ask your Members of Congress to urge the House and Senate Leadership to include emergency funding and longer-term preservation resources for public housing and housing vouchers in the next COVID-19 economic stimulus legislation.

BACKGROUND

HOUSE:

The Democratic proposal spearheaded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled on March 23, HR 6379, the “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act” introduced by Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), includes housing-related provisions in two main sections, Division A—Third Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020, and Division I—Financial Services, Title I—Protecting Consumers, Renters, Homeowners and People Experiencing Homelessness. Division I wholly taken from HR 6321, “Financial Protections and Assistance for America’s Consumers, States, Businesses, and Vulnerable Populations Act” was also introduced on March 23 by House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA). Highlights from the Speaker’s package include:

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) – $158.827 billion

Management and Administration – $20 million to support activities by the Administrative Support Offices and Program Offices to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Funding would also support program administration and oversight for the $158.8 billion in emergency assistance provided to state, local, and tribal governments and housing authorities through this Act.

Tenant-Based Rental Assistance – $1.5 billion to allow public housing agencies (PHAs) to respond to coronavirus and the ability to keep over 2.2 million families stably housed even when facing a loss of income. Allows PHAs the flexibility necessary for the safe and effective administration of these funds while maintaining fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and environmental protections.

Public Housing Operating Fund – $720 million for PHAs to carry out coronavirus response for the operation and management of almost 1 million public housing units. Allows PHAs the flexibility necessary for the safe and effective administration of these funds while maintaining fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and environmental protections.

Native American Programs – $350 million to address the needs of Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities in preventing, responding to, and preparing for coronavirus. This includes $250 million in formula funding through the Native American Housing Block Grants program and $100 million in imminent threat grants through the Indian Community Development Block Grant program.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS – $130 million to maintain operations, rental assistance, supportive services, and other necessary actions to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on low-income persons with HIV/AIDS.

Community Development Block Grant – $15 billion for coronavirus response and to mitigate the impacts in our communities: up to $8 billion to be distributed by formula to current grantees, $5 billion awarded directly to States, based on public health needs and other factors, and the remainder to be awarded on a rolling basis via a formula that prioritizes the risk of transmission of coronavirus, number of coronavirus cases, and economic and housing market disruptions resulting from coronavirus. The legislation also waives the public services cap to allow communities to respond to the impacts of the pandemic.

Homeless Assistance Grants – $5 billion for Emergency Solutions Grants to address the impact of coronavirus among individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and to support additional homeless assistance, prevention, and diversion activities to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.

Emergency Rental Assistance – $100 billion to provide emergency assistance to help low-income renters at risk of homelessness avoid eviction due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Housing Assistance Fund – $35 billion for State housing finance agencies to provide housing or utility assistance to individuals and families to prevent foreclosure, eviction, mortgage delinquency, or loss of housing or critical utilities as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Assisted Housing Stability – A total of $1.1 billion for HUD multi-family housing programs to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus and ensure the continuation of rental contracts and necessary support services, including:

Project-Based Rental Assistance – $1 billion;
Section 202 Housing for the Elderly – $75 million; and
Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities – $25 million.

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity – $7 million to address fair housing issues resulting from coronavirus. This includes $4 million for the Fair Housing Assistance Program and $3 million for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program.

DOT and HUD Oversight –

Inspectors General – $10 million total for the DOT and HUD Inspectors General to conduct audits and investigations to ensure transparency and efficiency within the agencies as they prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

SENATE:

The CARES Act, the third supplemental economic stimulus legislative package offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, contains the following provisions for HUD:

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT – $17.4 billion

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – $10 billion. CDBG is a flexible program that provides communities and states with funding to provide a wide range of resources to address COVID-19, such as services for senior citizens, the homeless, and public health services. Funding will be distributed using formula.

Homeless Assistance Grants – $4 billion. These funds will enable state and local governments to address coronavirus among the homeless population. These grants, in combination with additional waiver authority, will provide effective, targeted assistance to contain the spread of coronavirus among homeless individuals. These grants will also provide state and local governments with homelessness prevention funding for individuals and families who would otherwise become homeless due to coronavirus.

Tenant-Based Rental Assistance – $1.25 billion. These funds will preserve Section 8 voucher rental assistance for seniors, the disabled, and low-income working families, who will experience loss of income from the coronavirus.

Public Housing Operating Fund – $685 million. These funds will provide Public Housing Agencies with additional operating assistance to make up for reduced tenant rent payments as well as to help contain the spread of coronavirus in public housing properties.

Native American Programs – $300 million. These funds will be used to prevent homelessness due to lost income from the coronavirus, as well as to contain the spread of coronavirus on tribal lands. These programs provide flexibility to local tribal governments and Tribally-Designated Housing Entities to respond to local conditions and needs.

Housing Opportunities for Person with Aids (HOPWA) – $65 million. HOPWA is dedicated to the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS by giving grants to local communities, states, and nonprofit organizations for projects that benefit low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

Project-Based Rental Assistance – $1 billion. This additional funding will make up for reduced tenant payments as a result of coronavirus. Preserving this critical housing assistance will prevent low-income families and individuals from being at risk of homelessness.

Section 202 Housing for the Elderly – $50 million. These funds will maintain housing stability and services for low-income seniors. Seniors are particularly at risk from the coronavirus.

Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities – $15 million. This additional funding will make up for reduced tenant payments as a result of coronavirus.

Fair Housing – $2.5 million for additional fair housing enforcement.

HUD Administrative Expenses – $50 million. These funds will ensure that HUD’s programs are able to continue serving low-income vulnerable populations, while also providing states and local governments with resources to contain and respond to the coronavirus.

HUD Inspector General – $5 million. Funding for the HUD Inspector General to provide oversight and ensure funds provided are used for lawful purposes.

CLPHA Recent Comments

6.7.24

CLPHA Prepares Comments on Reducing Barriers to HUD-Assisted Housing Proposed Rule

“Criminal Activity” Clarification and Sliding Scale Time Frame Top CLPHA’s Concerns

4.16.24

CLPHA Expresses Concerns about Domestic Materials Sourcing, Timing, Project Cost Impacts in Comments about BABA

1.30.24

CLPHA Calls for Holistic Approach to HUD’s Proposed 30-Day Eviction Notification Requirement

10.23.23

CLPHA, Reno & Cavanaugh Comment on Accessibility of Web Information

9.14.23

CLPHA, MTW Collaborative Submit Comments on Improving Access to HUD Programs

Letter Asserts Data Sharing Is Crucial to Streamlining Program Access and Administration

7.24.23

CLPHA Comments on Fair Market Rents Calculation Methodology

Today, CLPHA submitted comments on proposed changes to the methodology used for calculating Fair Market Rents (FMRs).

View All CLPHA Comments

Testimony of Paul Graziano before House Financial Services Committee on Hearing: “The Administration’s Proposal to Preserve and Transform Public and Assisted Housing: The Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative” (5.25.10)

5-25-10 Testimony - Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative

Testimony of Keith Kinard before Senate Financial Services Committee on Hearing: "Public Housing One-for-One Replacement and Tenant Protection Act of 2010" (4.27.10)

4-27-10 Testimony - Public Housing Preservation and One-For-One Replacement

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We are asking housing authorities and housing organizations to sign on to a similar letter to Congressional leaders urging them to retain funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund and Housing Choice Vouchers in the Build Back Better legislation. Sign-ons are Due by February 4! SIGN THE LETTER

Deadline: 5:00 PM ET Tomorrow, March 26 Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 1904: The Broadband Justice Act of 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the growing digital divide and the deepening disparities among access to essential technology. These inequities especially impact lower income households and those living in federally assisted housing. By updating the definitions used by HUD, the Department of Treasury, and USDA for utility allowance, The Broadband Justice Act of 2021 would bring affordable broadband to 8 million households residing in federally assisted housing throughout the nation. Bolstered through the creation of a new grant program to develop the required infrastructure and additional operating funds to mitigate increased costs, access to broadband as an allowed utility would be federally subsidized, in a similar way that gas, electricity, and water currently are. Congressman Bowman (D-NY), the bill sponsor, is organizing support for the letter and has set a Friday, March 26, 5:00 pm ET deadline for House members to sign on.

ACTION: 1) CLPHA is asking you to strongly encourage your Members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 1904: The Broadband Justice Act of 2021. 2) Your Member of Congress should fill out this form to cosponsor the bill. For additional information, please email Josh Shokoor, CLPHA Research & Policy Analyst, at jshokoor@clpha.org.

Congressional Democrats are moving the next COVID-19 bill swiftly through Congress. CLPHA and other national public housing industry groups are asking our members to sign on to a joint industry letter to be sent to congressional leadership asking for additional emergency funding and longer-term preservation resources for public housing operating funding, housing vouchers, and infrastructure funding.

The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities has endorsed H.R. 4351, the Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act. The YIMBY Act, originally co-sponsored by Representatives Denny Heck (D-WA) and Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN), is a bipartisan housing bill that seeks to encourage, while not mandating, localities to advance policies that eliminate discriminatory land use policies, exclusionary zoning and other artificial barriers to building affordable housing. The YIMBY Act achieves these goals by requiring Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients to report periodically on the extent to which they are removing discriminatory land use policies and implementing inclusive and affordable housing policies detailed by the bill. The YIMBY Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed under suspension of the rules on March 2, 2020, and is now in the Senate awaiting consideration. CLPHA is working with Up for Growth Action, the lead advocacy organization generating support for the bill, and is encouraging our members to sign-on as an endorser of the bill. There is a narrow window of opportunity to advance the YIMBY bill to passage after recess in September, and broad geographic, organizational, and industry support can help convince Senate leadership the bill should be considered for a vote.