375+ Habitat organizations to congressional leaders: Keep housing in the Build Back Better Act
ATLANTA (Oct. 18, 2021) — Local Habitat affiliates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are calling on the lead negotiators of the Build Back Better Act to keep housing priorities in the bill. In a letter delivered to congressional leaders today, Habitat is outlining specific priorities that would invest in the nation’s housing infrastructure by boosting supply of affordable homes for both rental and homeownership and creating new opportunities to access those homes for lower-income families.
“Habitat works in communities all across this country — urban, suburban and rural — and we are speaking with one voice: Congress must deliver transformative housing investments in the Build Back Better Act,” said Jonathan T.M. Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Housing investments are fundamental to health, economic mobility and racial equity, and must continue to be a core tenet of the nation’s plan to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and begin to address decades of disinvestment in safe, decent and affordable places to live.”
The more than 375 Habitat organizations are calling on Congress to support six specific legislative initiatives that will boost affordable homeownership. Habitat is acting through its Cost of Home campaign, which is working to improve housing affordability for 10 million people.
“Stable, affordable homes are indispensable for Americans’ health, education and well-being,” the Habitat organizations wrote. “Investing in our nation’s housing infrastructure by building and preserving homes for affordable homeownership will fortify our communities and broaden economic recovery. Habitat urges Congress to prioritize these housing investments to ensure no one and no community is left behind as we build back from the pandemic.”
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.