Urge them to Sign New ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter by COB
THURSDAY, Jan. 21!
Resources
NHTF allocation formula would provide
$34.5 million along with project based vouchers for NJ!NHTF will create 521 construction jobs and 131 permanent jobs!
As homelessness rises in NJ need for NHTF increases!
Click here to view allocations by state.
Click here to view HUD’s regulations on allocations.
Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions.
Click here to read our action alert on the $1 billion dollars in funding.
Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), along with Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), is asking fellow Senators to sign a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) urging them to include funds for the National Housing Trust Fund in the jobs bill that the Senate is likely to consider in coming weeks. Click here for copy of the letter. The Senators are working to have all signatures collected by close of business on Thursday, January 21, so we need to act fast.
The Advocacy Network encourages you to please call both of your Senator Menendez and Senator Lautenberg NOW to have them sign this letter.
This ‘Dear Colleague’ letter asks for $1 billion in initial funding for the National Housing Trust Fund, and for $65 million for project-based vouchers that would support these NHTF units. This is the same amount that is in the House jobs bill passed in December.
The Senate jobs bill is currently the best vehicle we have for getting NHTF funding now. It is crucial that a large number of Senators sign on to this letter of support.
Please call each of your Senators today and, in each office, ask for the staff person who deals with housing issues. Give him or her the following message:
- I live in [town], and [describe local need]. It is imperative that the Senate vote to provide funding for the National Housing Trust Fund to help communities provide housing for our lowest income families.
- In addition to providing desperately needed housing, the National Housing Trust Fund is also economic stimulus. $1 billion in funding for the National Housing Trust Fund will mean [$XX] in funding for [state], which will provide [XX] jobs. Click here to find numbers for NJ.
- Currently, the best chance for funding for the NHTF is in the jobs bill likely to be considered in the Senate. The House included NHTF funding in its jobs bill, which passed in December.
- Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is circulating a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter in support of providing $1 billion in funding for the National Housing Trust Fund, plus $65 million in vouchers to support the Fund. I urge Senator [Name] to sign this letter by the end of the day on Thursday, January 21. Will Senator [Name] sign this letter?
On Tuesday, January 19, NLIHC President Sheila Crowley hosted a call to bring NLIHC members and NHTF endorsers up-to-date on the latest NHTF news. Click here to listen to a transcript.
The housing trust fund will, once capitalized, provide communities with funds to build, preserve, and rehabilitate rental homes that are affordable for extremely and very low income households. The Housing Trust Fund’s most important features are:
- It is a permanent program, and will have dedicated source of funding not subject to the annual appropriations process.
- At least 90% of the funds must be used for the production, preservation, rehabilitation, or operation of rental housing. Up to 10% can be used for the following home ownership activities for first-time home buyers: production, preservation, and rehabilitation; down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, and assistance for interest rate buy-downs.
- At least 75% of the funds for rental housing must benefit extremely low income households and all funds must benefit very low income households.
