Affordable Housing Week-of-Action: July 22-29
The Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) and other state, local, and national leaders call on advocates, elected officials, and concerned citizens to participate in the Our Homes, Our Voices Week of Action from July 22 to July 29 to bring more attention to America’s affordable housing crisis. Coordinated activities will be held in cities across the nation to call for a greater investment in affordable homes and community development.
A recap of key events is below. Don’t forget to check the Our Homes, Our Voices Campaign for events in your community and to share this information with your partners and residents. For a full list of events nationwide, click here.
Wednesday: Rally on Capitol Hill
CHCDF will host a rally to raise awareness of the importance of federal housing programs and to call on Congress to lift the low spending caps and fully invest in affordable housing resources that help low income families keep a roof over their heads. Members of Congress will speak. Please encourage your staff, residents and friends to attend. And look for us there!
Wednesday: Twitterstorm
After the Rally, advocates across the country can raise their virtual voices by joining a Twitterstorm. Sample social media posts here.
Thursday: National Call in Day
Tell Congress to lift the spending caps and invest in communities. Find information on how to reach your representative on the Our Homes, Our Voices website.
All people deserve an affordable home, and no one should be forced to give up food and basic healthcare to keep a roof over their heads. When we invest in affordable homes, we invest in people, our communities, and America as a whole – from increased employment and economic mobility to improved health and better education.
Yet, far too many families – including low income seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and families with children – struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Nationwide, more people are renting their homes than ever before. But our investments in affordable housing have not kept pace. Today, three out of four families in need of federal housing assistance are turned away due to a lack of funding. As a result, millions of people do not have an affordable place to call home and half a million people live on the street, in shelters, or in their cars on any given night. Every state and community is impacted.
This year, federal investments in affordable housing face significant budget threats. In the name of deficit reduction, Congress has put in place low spending caps that starve low income families and communities of the resources they need to thrive. President Trump has proposed even deeper cuts in 2018, which would slash federal investments in affordable housing by $7.4 billion or 15%. Instead of reducing our nation’s investments in affordable housing, we should make a bold and sustained commitment to ensure that everyone has a safe, accessible and affordable home. This starts with Congress rejecting the President’s 2018 budget proposal, lifting the spending caps equally for defense and domestic programs, and fully investing in affordable housing resources that help low income families keep a roof over their heads.