Legislative & Policy

Last week, members of the House and Senate were named to an appropriations conference committee on HR 6157, the third package of FY19 appropriations bills. This third “minibus” includes funding for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Agriculture; Rural Development; Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The committee conferees will hold their first formal meeting on Thursday, September 13.

Committee staff from the House and Senate majority and minority—the four corners—have been in informal discussions over the summer striving to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the several subcommittee bills included in the minibus. Having the conferees meet signifies real progress has been made towards a final agreement.

Despite six scheduled legislative days remaining before the end of the fiscal year, conference committee action on the third minibus suggests there is a real possibility the FY19 THUD appropriations may be enacted before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. This would enable THUD appropriations to avoid becoming victim to a continuing resolution (CR) for funding. Any CR is expected to last at least until after the November elections for those federal agencies missing the September 30 deadline.

Members of the Conference Committee include:

House of Representatives

Senate

ACTION:

We strongly encourage CLPHA members to communicate with the Washington, DC offices of the conferees before 1:00 pm tomorrow, September 13, especially CLPHA members whose congressional members are on the conference committee, and urge them to:

1. Support the higher Senate funding levels for public housing-related programs,
2. Oppose any poison pill provisions, such as the Heller amendment, and 
3. Support the HCV Mobility Demonstration provision in the House THUD bill. 

The Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition is circulating a sign on letter for current and former federal, state, and local government officials in support of HUD’s Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), which FEMA continues to refuse to activate.

DHAP was created after hard-won lessons from Hurricane Katrina, and it has been used successfully in major disasters since that time. DHAP is administered by housing authorities, and this national network makes HUD best equipped to quickly respond to the housing needs of survivors.

Under DHAP, displaced families receive longer-term direct rental assistance and case management services provided by local housing professionals with extensive knowledge of the local housing market. This assistance helps families find permanent housing solutions, secure employment, and connect to public benefits as they rebuild their lives.

The Coalition is calling on Congress to enact legislation to immediately activate DHAP for 2017 disaster survivors and to ensure that this critical resource is made available to survivors after future disasters.

ACTION:

CLPHA members are urged to reach out to current and former federal, state, and local officials with experience in disaster recovery in your communities and encourage them to sign the letter to Congress.

A copy of the letter is here, and officials can use the link below to sign on to the letter.

Sign-On Letter

U.S. Representatives Steve Stivers (R-OH) and Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Co-Chairs of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Public Housing Caucus, recently sent a Dear Colleague letter to fellow members of the House of Representatives inviting them to join the Caucus.

According to the letter, “the Caucus will serve as a forum to connect Members of Congress and their staff with public housing professionals, affordable housing policy experts, residents, and other key stakeholders with an interest in improving outcomes for Americans struggling to afford a suitable home and the communities they live in,” and “our nation's federal housing policies are at the forefront of efforts to prevent homelessness, address the affordable housing crisis, and overcome structural poverty.  The goal of the Congressional Public Housing Caucus is to educate Members of Congress and their staff of the latest policy developments affecting these efforts.”

ACTION: 

CLPHA was a prime mover in helping to establish the Caucus and we want to ensure the Caucus succeeds both in attracting members and in fulfilling its purpose.

We need CLPHA members to reach out to their Members of Congress and encourage them to join the Congressional Public Housing Caucus.

To join the Congressional Public Housing Caucus, Members of Congress should contact Mark Gilbride of Representative Steve Stivers' staff (225-2015; mark.gilbride@mail.house.gov) or Jennifer Shapiro of Representative Emanuel Cleavers' staff (225-4535 and jennifer.shapiro@mail.house.gov)