Path to “Housing is Infrastructure” Investments

Overview

As Congress considers making major investments in the nation’s infrastructure, NAHRO and our partners in the housing industry are working to convince them that “Housing IS Infrastructure.” To date, Congress and the Biden Administration included housing infrastructure investments in the following major bills and proposals:

• Build Back Better Act
• Build Back Better Act Framework
• The American Jobs Plan
• H.R. 4497 – Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021
• H.R. 5187 – Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2020
• S. 2951 – Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2019

View the timeline below to see key points along the path to “Housing IS Infrastructure” investments. The NAHRO team will keep you updated as legislation progresses through Congress. To advocate for housing infrastructure investments, visit our Action Alert Center.

Key Points

• 2/4/2022 – Housing Industry Letter to Congressional Leadership on the Build Back Better Act
• 12/9/2021 – NAHRO’s Rally for Housing: Fighting for $150B in the Build Back Better Act
• 11/19/2021 – House Passes $1.75 Trillion Build Back Better Plan
• 10/29/2021 – Build Back Better Act Call-In Day
• 10/28/2021 – $150 Billion of Housing Investments Preserved in Build Back Better Framework
  • In-Depth Analysis: Public Housing
  • In-Depth Analysis: Section 8
• 10/21/2021 – House Committee Holds Hearing on Housing as Key to Building Back a Better America
• 10/20/2021 – Press Conference Held on Housing Investments in the Build Back Better Act
• 10/13/2021 – Chairwoman Waters Holds Press Conference on Housing Funds in Build Back Better Act
• 9/30/2021 – Build Back Better Act Call-In Day
• 9/14/2021 – House Financial Services Committee passes their portion of the Build Back Better Act by a vote of 30-24
• 9/9/2021 – House Committee Proposes $80B Infrastructure Investment in Public Housing
• 9/3/2021 – NAHRO Sends Over 15,000 “Housing is Infrastructure” Advocacy letters during August Advocacy Campaign
• 8/10/2021 – Senate Takes Step Toward Major Housing Infrastructure Investments
• 7/20/2021 – Jennifer Keogh Testifies at Senate Hearing on Safe Housing
• 7/20/2021 – Secretary Fudge Testifies in HUD Oversight Hearing on “Build Back Better” agenda
• 7/16/2021 – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) Reintroduces the Housing Is Infrastructure Act of 2021
• 7/15/2021 – Over 100 Calls Made for Housing Is Infrastructure Call-In Day
• 6/24/2021 – Agreement on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, No Housing Included
• 5/31/2021 – NAHRO Sends Over 3,000 Housing Is Infrastructure Advocacy Letters in May Campaign
• 4/14/2021 – Congress Holds Hearing on Affordable Housing Infrastructure
• 3/31/2021 – Biden Includes $213 Billion for Housing in American Jobs Plan Infrastructure Proposal as part of the “Build Back Better” agenda
• 3/21/2021 – Georgi Banna Testifies at House Financial Services Committee Hearing on Public Housing
• 2/28/2020 – Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2020 passes the House Financial Services Committee by vote of 33-25
• 11/21/2019 – Former Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduces the Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2019, a Senate companion bill to the House version
• 11/20/2019 – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) introduces the Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2020
• 4/30/2019 – Former NAHRO CEO Adrianne Todman testifies at hearing on “Housing in America: Assessing the Infrastructure Needs of America’s Housing Stock”

Questions? Contact Tess Hembree, Director of Congressional Relations, at thembree@nahro.org.