Restore Funding for HUD's Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program

ACTION NEEDED

Urge your Members of Congress to restore funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) program to at least $2.5 billion. The HOME program, funded through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) appropriations bill, was funded at $1.5 billion at its inception in 1992. Annual appropriations for the program fluctuated between $900 million and $2 billion and most recently received $1.25 billion for FY 2026.

BACKGROUND

Authorized in 1990, the HOME program assists state and local governments in providing affordable housing for low-income families, helping to improve the quality of life in local communities. By law, sixty percent of HOME funds are allocated to 600 participating jurisdictions in counties and cities, and forty percent are allocated to states. HOME funds can be used for the acquisition, reconstruction and rehabilitation of housing. Counties can also use HOME funds for tenant-based rental assistance, providing them with flexibility to design policies and programs that address local affordable housing needs.

HOME was funded at $1.25 billion in FY 2026, $250 million short of the FY 2023 and FY 2022 funding levels. NACo members are encouraged to contact their members of Congress to restore full program funding levels of $2.5 billion.

KEY TALKING POINTS

• Through HOME, states and participating local jurisdictions create partnerships with the private sector that promote affordable housing and leverage private sector financing.
• HOME funding helps local governments provide affordable housing to low-income families and enhances the quality of life in local communities. Every $1.00 of HOME funding leverages $4.52 in other public and private funds. Further, HOME has supported 1.95 million jobs, generating $128 billion in local economic impact.
• Since 1992, HOME funds have supported the creation of over 1.33 million units of affordable housing and provided direct rental assistance to over 400,000 families. In fiscal year 2023, participating jurisdictions completed 6,848 rental housing and 4,051 homebuyer units, assisted 2,717 low-income homeowners to repair their homes and provided tenant-based rental assistance to 13,016 low-income households.
• Many of our communities are looking to increase housing supply and fill gaps in affordable housing—HOME funds provide a versatile tool to do so. Funding for HOME should be restored to historical levels of $2.5 billion.