Policy Federal

New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness
2010 Federal Policy Priorities

1. Mainstream Federal Housing Programs
Priority: Build the capacity of mainstream federal housing resources to fund supportive housing and to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis among extremely low income households.

Budget: Support an increase in the housing and community development function in the Congressional budget resolution.

Appropriation: Provide funding for 200,000 new Housing Choice Vouchers, including 10,000 new HUD VASH vouchers and $20 million for Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers.

Authorization: Congress should capitalize the National Housing Trust Fund with an initial $1 billion. Working together, Congress and the Administration should propose new ways to annually capitalize the Trust Fund in light of suspended payments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

• Enact the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act to improve the Housing Choice Voucher program for tenants and housing authorities alike.
• Stimulate the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by promoting investors to return to the marketplace and by enacting temporary measures to re-start stalled projects. Better target LIHTCs to meet the housing needs of the lowest-income Americans.
• As congress considers reforms to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), it should explore ways to increase investments for supportive housing, affordable housing, and other projects serving special needs populations.

Administrative: With funds appropriated in 2009 for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, HUD should provide a grant boost to communities willing to implement wrap-around services for vulnerable families living in the public housing set to be revitalizes.

2. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program

Priority: As reform to HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program takes  place as required by the HEARTH Act, ensure sufficient funding for all  eligible activities and a smooth implementation process of wisely constructed program regulations. 

Appropriation: No less  than $2.4 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants:  Implementation of the HEARTH Act will result in a larger percentage of McKinney funds being applied to prevention.  Unless funding is increased to at least $2,4 billion, insufficient funds for new permanent housing production may be curtailed and prevention programs will not meet the demand for need. 

Regulatory: HUD regulations to implement the HEARTH Act must be accompanied with proper technical assistance and training to best apply the reform locally.  During the regulatory  comment period HUD should be responsive to advocates’ concerns, particularly how regulations will affect local unit development and service delivery.

3. SAMHSA’s Commitment to Services in Supportive Housing

Priority: SAMHSA should continue increasing its role as a full partner in ending homelessness.

Appropriation: $120 million in funding for SAMHSA’s Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals (GBHI) and Treatment for Homeless Services programs, which help pay for services in supportive housing.

•  Provide at least $15.8 million, as requested in the President’s budget, for SAMHSA to award wrap-around services grants that can be tied to a Section 8 voucher.
• Allocate full funding of $75 million for the PATH program.

 Authorization: Enact S. 1523/H.R. 3636, the Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act (SELHA), to provide flexible, renewable grants from SAMHSA and leverage commitments of mainstream resources to pay for services in supportive housing for long-term homeless families and individuals.

4. Homeless Veterans

Priority: Support the Administration commitment to end veterans’ homelessness within 5 years by providing new capital, operating and services funding set-aside for homeless veterans. 

Appropriation: Provide $75 million for 10,000 new HUD-VASH vouchers, which connect homeless veterans to housing and supportive services.

Authorization: Enact S. 1547, the Zerio Tolerance for Homeless Veterans Act, and S. 1160/H.R. 403 the Homes for Heroes Act.  Together these bills will grow the HUD-VASH program, increase programming to prevent veterans’ homelessness, improve the Grant and Per Diem program, and create a new supportive housing capital program.

Administrative:  Assist the VA and HUD in improving the HUD-VASH program by facilitating project-basing of vouchers and implementing a set of local best-practices for combining of housing & services.

5. Medicaid and TANF

Priority:  Congress and the Administration must continue to explore and promote ways Medicaid can pay for health related services for people in supportive housing,  This includes removing obstacles to Medicaid eligibility for uninsured homeless people with serious health problems.

Authorization: Pass S.1781, the REDUCE Act and/or include its key provisions as part of a larger health care reform package. 

Priority: As the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act (TANF) is reauthorized, provisions should be include dto help end and prevent homelessness for families.

Authorization: Dedicated TANF funding to provide services in supportive housing.  Ensure TANF recipients who have disabilities, including substance use disorders, maintain their benefits. 

Priority:  Ensure the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provide resources for states to implement the President’s proposal to link Section 8 vouchers with Medicaid and TANF.

6. OTHER PRIORITIES

SECTION 811 PROGRAM:  Enact S. 1481, H.R. 1675, the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act to better integrate the Section 811 program with other affordable housing programs.  Restore cuts proposed in the Administration’s budget. 

SOAR INITIATIVE:  Promote increased implementation of the SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Initiative investment boards and employment programs to serve homeless populations.

HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS:  Support President’s budget request fir a $25 million increase for Health Care for the Homeless under the community Health Center allocation.

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Please send any questions or comments to NJANEH’s Policy Chair, Arnold Cohen, at    acohen [Email address: acohen #AT# hcdnnj.org - replace #AT# with @ ]