NAHRO Testifies on HOME Program before Congress

July 18, 2025 — On Wednesday, July 16, Eric Oberdorfer, NAHRO Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs testified before the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. As Congress looks to reform the HOME Investment Partnership Program, NAHRO was invited to join a panel to discuss ways to improve the widely used gap financing program due for reauthorization. Oberdorfer conveyed that the program is widely used among NAHRO members and is a cornerstone of America’s affordable housing production, citing local flexibility as key to the program’s success.

Subcommittee Chair Mike Flood (R-NE) and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) announced that they are partnering on a bipartisan bill to reform/reauthorize the program. The lawmakers invited NAHRO and other industry partners to provide insight into industry recommendations on HOME reform. Across the political spectrum, lawmakers are supportive of making long overdue changes to the program. Democrats urged Republican colleagues to not follow the President’s proposal, asking Congress to eliminate the HOME program. Republicans expressed interest in the deregulatory aspects proposed in the HOME 2.0 legislation and engaged with witnesses on revising the Environmental Review process.

NAHRO supports the committee leadership’s efforts to make needed changes to the HOME program, which has not been updated since the program was first authorized. The House FY 26 budget proposal does not have funding for the HOME program, and NAHRO is still awaiting the Senate proposal. NAHRO will continue to work with the committee to make critical improvements to the HOME program to create more affordable housing supply.