Kick off This Week’s August Advocacy with a Special Message from Rep. Jim Clyburn!
We’re thrilled to kick off our second week of August advocacy with a special message from Congressman Jim Clyburn, who speaks strongly about our need to invest in affordable housing programs. Listen to the Congressman’s message, then please send a message of your own to your members of Congress and the White House to voice your support for affordable housing.
This week, we’re focusing on public housing, a critical resource of affordable housing, particularly as rental markets across the country increase in price. However, the costs of operating public housing have grown in recent years; between increases in supply and staffing costs, insurance, and a decrease in rent collection, the funding provided by Congress to operate public housing is falling short of actual costs. Congress acknowledges this gap and has provided shortfall funding in the past – support additional funding in FY 2024 so agencies have the resources needed to operate public housing.
Additionally, the backlog of needed repairs and renovations to public housing properties across the country has grown. In 2020, NAHRO estimated that the backlog of deferred maintenance to public housing exceeded $70 billion. This backlog has certainly grown in the past three years. The funding Congress provides annually does not meet the estimated accrual of needed repairs; in FY 2023 the Public Housing Capital Fund was provided an all-time high of $3.2 billion, but this is still $200 million below the estimated accrual rate. Your voice matters – contact your members of Congress and the White House today to support public housing in your community and across the country!
As housers and community builders, we need to speak out! NAHRO has an ambitious goal of sending 50,000 letters to Congress and the White House during the August recess. We’re currently falling short of this goal; to date, we’ve only sent 5,500 letters. Speak out today to support public housing and help us reach our goal.