NACo President Javier Gonzales lent NACo support to H.R. 3995, the Housing Affordability for America Act, in testimony before the House of Representatives Housing and Community Opportunity, April 10. Gonzales appeared as part of a panel of witnesses asked to speak on different aspects of the omnibus housing bill.
NACo testified in support of key provisions within the bill addressing affordable housing production and homeless assistance programs.
H.R. 3995 is an omnibus housing bill introduced by Rep. Marge Roukema (R-N.J.), chair, House Housing & Community Opportunity Subcommittee. The bill responds to issues raised in a series of hearings on housing affordability held by the subcommittee over the past year, and seeks to amend certain federal housing laws in an effort to increase housing affordability.
NACo testified in support of Title I, Section 101 of the bill, which creates a housing production program within the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). This provision directly mirrors a key policy priority of NACo’s Community and Economic Development Steering Committee.
In his testimony, Gonzales noted that a production program within HOME would dramatically increase the production of affordable mixed income rental housing by relying on the infrastructure currently in place within HOME.
He said NACo’s proposal for such a program would include grants and loans for the construction, rehabilitation and preservation of multifamily housing. All of the resources made available under NACo’s proposal would benefit low-income families. Funds would be apportioned using the HOME formula of 60 percent to local participating jurisdictions and 40 percent to states.
NACo’s testimony also endorsed the concept of Thrifty Production Vouchers, a new category of housing assistance included in the bill. These vouchers would be directed toward recipients of rental housing assistance, and would be coupled with capital subsidy programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the Community Development Block Grant Program, and the new housing production program.
This new voucher would help low-income families pay the rent on new affordable units produced through the HOME program.
In addition, Gonzales testified in support of provisions that would allow more of HUD’s homeless assistance funding to create new permanent housing for the homeless, as well as provide a consistent source of renewal funding for these important programs.
Gonzales testified on behalf of NACo, the National Association for County Community and Economic Development, the National Community Development Association, the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. H.R. 3995 was referred to the House Financial Services and Judiciary Committees, and currently has 28 co-sponsors.
