Habitat for Humanity calls on Congressional lawmakers to address the nationwide affordable housing crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 6, 2024) — In the face of a historic housing shortage that includes a lack of entry-level homes and skyrocketing home prices, Habitat for Humanity will mobilize advocates in Washington D.C. this week to call on Congress to take needed action to address the affordable housing crisis.
In the United States, nearly 1 in 6 households pay more than half of their income on housing. Advocates from 43 states will urge Congress to act and prioritize policies that will increase the number of affordable homes, especially for entry-level homeownership, including the following proposals:
- Robust funding for vital housing and community development programs at HUD and USDA in the fiscal year 2025 budget.
- Passage of the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, bipartisan legislation that will revitalize distressed neighborhoods by using federal tax credits to mobilize private investment in building and substantially rehabilitating homes for low- and moderate-income homeowners.
This mobilization effort coincides with the organization’s growing impact through advocacy. In 2019, Habitat launched Cost of Home, a five-year advocacy campaign. Now in its fifth and final year, Cost of Home has already helped 6.6 million people access stable, affordable homes through its advocacy efforts to influence more than 300 policies at the local, state and federal levels.
Habitat advocates will also highlight Home Equals, an international campaign dedicated to achieving policy change, at all levels, to ensure that people living in informal settlements around the world have equitable access to adequate housing.
Habitat for Humanity International will honor four congressional leaders who continually prioritize housing with the Habitat for Humanity Housing Champions Award. They include: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.; Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa.; Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.
“Meaningful and substantial action is needed at every level of government to ensure that every person has the stable foundation a safe place to live provides,” said Chris Vincent, vice president, government relations and advocacy at Habitat for Humanity International. “Elected officials have legislative options with bipartisan support to prioritize housing. We are raising our voices to make sure they know and understand how we all can make progress on this growing national challenge.”
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 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and 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.