Policy Resolution HCD-25-11

WHEREAS, everyone has a basic human right to housing, which ensures access to a safe, secure, decent and affordable home;

WHEREAS,  a home is considered the place where someone permanently resides and may come in the form of an apartment, condo, single-family dwelling, multi-family dwelling, and more;

WHEREAS, those living in an affordable, decent and safe home are better able to find employment, achieve economic mobility, perform better in school, and experience improved health;

WHEREAS, far too many people living in urban, suburban, and rural communities struggle to afford their rent each month, putting them at increased risk of eviction and homelessness;

WHEREAS, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Point-in-Time Count of report from January of 2023, there were over 653,104 people in the United States experiencing homelessness on any given night—the highest number reported since reporting began in 2007;

WHEREAS, HUD’s most recent report also showed that people who identify as Black, make up 13 percent of the total U.S. population but comprised 37 percent of all people experiencing homelessness;

WHEREAS, homelessness has become so pervasive that some states and cities have declared that homelessness has reached a state of emergency;

WHEREAS, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, people experiencing homelessness are more likely to be victims of violent crimes and face dehumanizing conditions;

WHEREAS, major progress toward the national goals for ending homelessness in our nation has stalled in the absence of increased funding;

WHEREAS, a shortage of affordable housing is an issue in most every state and major metropolitan area;

WHEREAS, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition a full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage cannot afford a modest two-bedroom apartment in any state, metropolitan area, or county in the United States;

WHEREAS, according the US Census Bureau over half of all renters are cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing;

WHEREAS, rapidly rising rents across the country have pushed many long-time residents and families out of the communities they call home;

WHEREAS, the role of federal affordable housing investment is even more important given the limited ability of the private market alone to address these needs;

WHEREAS, various programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development provide federal rental assistance, which helps nearly 10 million people, and such programs include the Public Housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance program, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program;

WHEREAS, despite leveraging billions of dollars in private resources to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing, affordable housing programs continue to be chronically underfunded;

WHEREAS, according to the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities,  three out of every four  families in need of housing assistance are turned away due to chronic underfunding;

WHEREAS, without federal investments, many more families would be homeless, living in substandard or overcrowded conditions, or struggling to meet other basic needs because too much of their already limited income would be used to pay rent;

WHEREAS, even renters with housing subsidies often face barriers to finding housing providers willing to rent to them;

WHEREAS, under current federal law, housing discrimination against a renter is illegal if it is based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability;

WHEREAS, renters and those experiencing housing challenges should be protected against housing discrimination through stronger enforcement of fair housing laws; and

WHEREAS, despite various clarifying guidance from HUD, the re-entry community continues to face barriers in trying to secure access to federally assisted housing:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) support federal and state initiatives and investments in housing resources to build and preserve affordable housing in the United States and end homelessness and housing poverty once and for all;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges Congress to increase funding for the Public Housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance program, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NBCSL also urges Congress to make a substantial increased investment in the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), which provides grants to states to produce and preserve affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, as significant investment will provide the resources and flexibility needed to address the problems that exist in states across the nation.

• Resolution ID: HCD-25-11
• Sponsored by: Rep. Nicole Collier (TX)
• Policy Committee: Housing and Community Development (HCD)