On September 27, the President signed a continuing resolution (CR), or stopgap funding measure, to keep the government funded through November 21 in an effort to give the House and the Senate to debate differences in their appropriations bills. The full Senate has not approved their appropriations bills as the House has, but the Appropriations Committee did approve the bills, meaning they are ready to be considered on the floor.

Below is an updated budget chart for many of PI's member interests for appropriations bills for housing and community development programs within the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture. Members of the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) have sent a letter to Appropriations leaders in both chambers urging them to include the highest possible allocations to support affordable housing under the budget deal.

Overall, the Senate proposal for the HUD budget provides than $11.9 billion above the president’s FY20 request and $2.3 billion above FY19 enacted levels, but still $1.5 billion less in funding than the House version. Key line items of concern to our members include the net loss to already underfunded Housing Counseling budget as well as funding for HOPWA and the Public Housing Operating Fund.

NOW IS THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO OUR SENATORS AND RESPECTFULLY URGE THEM TO PASS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE FUNDING LEVELS UNDER THE BUDGET AGREEMENT FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS OUR STATE’S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.

Senator Young: (202) 224-5623
Senator Braun: (202) 224-4814

In terms of policy matters addressed in the Senate THUD bill, the legislation joins the House bill in prohibiting the Administration’s proposal for rent increases and rigid work requirements, but does not include the House-passed language to halt the Administration’s proposal to evict mixed-status families from assisted housing and to roll back LGBTQ protections.