Issue Position: Housing

Issue Position

Introduction

For too many residents of the 7th District, lack of access to safe, affordable housing contributes to negative health outcomes, shrinks economic opportunity, and severely restricts social mobility. As affordable and market-rate housing stock - particularly in urban districts like the 7th - is increasingly concentrated in shrinking areas, we see greater stratification and segregation between and within communities, limiting opportunity and hardening inequities. Housing instability impacts residents at all stages of life - from children who develop chronic health conditions as a result of unsafe conditions, to families who are unable to build wealth by purchasing a home, to seniors who unable to age in place because they can no longer afford to live in their homes.

The problem is widespread - thousands of individuals and families in Massachusetts are experiencing homelessness or significant housing cost burden on any given day, burdens that fall disproportionately on low-income and minority communities. Nearly half of low-income families in the Commonwealth spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs (cost-burdened), and nearly 1 in 10 spends more than 50 percent of their income on housing (severely cost burdened), according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition; among middle-income families, those earning between 80 and 100 percent of the annual median income, 1 in 5 is cost-burdened. At the same time, a one day count in January 2017 showed that nearly 18,000 people in Massachusetts were experiencing homelessness, including more than 11,000 in families with children.

To solve this challenge, we not only need to think creatively about how we can increase the supply of affordable and market-rate housing, but also how we can be intentional in linking housing with public transit, walking and biking infrastructure, open space, healthcare, opportunities to purchase healthy food, and access to great schools - in order to ensure that opportunity is not limited.

On the City Council, I have fought to increase the percentage of affordable housing units under the City's Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) and supported efforts to protect tenants and homeowners from discriminatory or unreasonable evictions. In Congress, I will work with my colleagues to stand up against the harmful steps being taken by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Secretary Ben Carson, and to advance policies that increase equitable housing access for every person and family in the 7th Congressional District.

Policy Priorities

Federal Rental and Housing Assistance

Protect the poorest households receiving rental assistance. The Trump Administration and HUD Secretary Ben Carson recently unveiled a plan to raise rents on the poorest households receiving federal rental assistance, which the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimated would result in "roughly 1.7 million people (including nearly 1 million children)" facing "eviction, hardship, and homelessness." In an Administration characterized by cruel, draconian policies, we should not be surprised by this attempt to increase revenue on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans, but we must speak out against it. I will work with my colleagues in Congress to codify existing conditions for families receiving federal rental assistance and block such unsustainable, damaging increases.
Expand vouchers for affordable housing. The Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) program, the nation's largest rental assistance program, provides rent subsidies to low-income families in the private market. Unfortunately, just one in four eligible families have access to this popular program. Stable housing greatly impacts physical and mental health outcomes. In Congress, I will push to review HCV and expand subsidies so that more households in the 7th Congressional District and beyond can afford to choose where they live.
Increase funding for the National Housing Trust Fund. Created in 2008, the National Housing Trust Fund is a federal fund that supports state plans to "produce, rehabilitate, preserve, and operate rental housing for [extremely low-income] households." The fund began funding projects in 2016, but significant unmet needs continue to exist in rental housing available to extremely low-income families, necessitating greater federal resources. I would advocate for increased funding for the National Housing Trust Fund, in order to expand federal support for the development and preservation of affordable housing.
Fund HUD Section 202 Program. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, "HUD's Section 202 program is the only federal rental assistance program designed explicitly to serve seniors, yet there has been no funding for new construction under the program since fiscal year 2011." We know that helping seniors age, safely, in place improves quality of life and public health. We should be making necessary investments to ensure seniors have access to safe, affordable housing and/or resources to remain in their homes. In Congress, I will fight for renewed funding for this program.
Reform the federal Area Median Income (AMI) formula. The value of and eligibility for many federal housing assistance programs are driven by the Area Median Income - calculated each year by HUD for every metropolitan area in the country. However, the AMI calculation for cities like Boston fails to consider other cost burdens faced by families who are eligible for housing subsidies, and is often skewed by the inclusion of households in wealthier suburbs of the city. In Congress, I will work with my colleagues and local leaders to reform the AMI formula so that it accurately reflects the communities it serves and targets resources at the lowest-income households.
Advocate for the expansion of Family Self-Sufficiency program. Many families receiving federal rental assistance face a difficult trajectory in which increased earned income leads to the reduction of federal subsidies, meaning that families struggle to save money and get ahead. The Family Self-Sufficiency program under the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program seeks to address this challenge by funneling any increases in rent as a result of increased earned income into escrow accounts specifically established for program participants, to promote saving and help families get ahead. In Congress, I would advocate for expanded funding for the FSS program, and work with local stakeholders to promote the implementation of the program and educate families about it's availability.
Create reasonable pathways to home ownership. Federal housing assistance should not focus exclusively on renters. Owning a home remains one of the most important avenues to wealth building, but the cost is often prohibitive, especially for low-income families. The federal government operates several programs - many through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) - that provide families with financial support and guidance throughout the home buying process. The Trump Administration has repeatedly advanced cuts and other changes to these programs that would reduce their value for low-income home buyers. In Congress, I would work with my colleagues to protect programs aimed at creating reasonable pathways to homeownership, and sponsor legislation that would expand federal support for low-income families seeking to purchase a home.
Relief for Renters. More than half of renters in the 7th district have become increasingly cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their income toward housing and utilities. I believe housing is a public health issue and a human right. The impact of the current housing crisis is cutting into our ability to afford higher education, quality child care, reliable transit options, and fresh and health foods. In Congress, I will sponsor legislation that provides relief to renters in the 7th district by investing federal funding into the creation of diverse housing stock and with legislation that puts more money in the pockets of renters earning less than $100,000 per year, and who spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing.
Comprehensive Approach to Housing Equity

Promote Medicaid support for housing-related services. Access to safe and healthy housing is inextricably linked to health outcomes, and we should make major funding streams like Medicaid more accessible to address housing challenges. I will support legislation that would open Medicaid as a funding source for housing-related interventions shown to improve health outcomes, including "housing-first" models for individuals with mental health challenges and those struggling with substance use disorders.
Advance the Affirmatively Further Fair Housing rule introduced by President Obama. In 2015, the Obama Administration introduced rules requiring municipalities to proactively address housing policies that lead to segregation and disparate outcomes. But the Department of Housing and Urban and Development (HUD) under Donald Trump has delayed implementation of the rule for several years, threatening progress that has been made to close gaps in health outcomes, wealth, and opportunity that flow from unequal housing choices. In Congress, I would fight to advance this rule on its original timeline and promote equitable housing policy.
Ensure that open and green space is equitably available. Extensive research has shown that low-income communities and communities of color often lack equitable access to parks and recreation areas, which presents a public health challenge and can contribute to negative outcomes like increased rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. In Congress, I would seek to ensure that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers equity in access to green space as a factor in the development of public housing, and support programs that bring together federal, state, and local stakeholders to address access to green space in zoning decisions and development discussions.
Provide federal support for sustainable, affordable housing development. "As more and more cities expand and build new light rail lines and other high-capacity transit services, they should be thinking about attainable housing and affordable commercial space strategies from the beginning," writes Smart Growth America. The Federal government should incentivize states to be intentional about planning affordable and market-rate housing development around transit hubs and other services that offer economic and educational opportunity. In Congress, I would support pilot programs to provide federal matching funds to states that develop comprehensive plans for smart growth development that incorporates affordable and market-rate housing.
Sponsor an amendment to the Fair Housing Act to ensure legal protections for survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence. Current housing protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) only apply to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors living in public housing. I would advocate for expanding those protectections to the private housing market as well by amending the Fair Housing Act, and I would support the Fair Housing for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors Act of 2017, which prohibits landlords from discriminating against survivors. To heal, survivors of domestic and sexual violence need access to basic necessities, including housing.
Ensure access to housing for formerly incarcerated individuals. A criminal record can have long-lasting effects on those who are formerly incarcerated, particularly as they work obtain housing, employment, education, and to otherwise rebuild their lives. Stable housing is the leading factor of recidivism and is therefore a critical first step to improving rehabilitation and reentry outcomes. Currently, those with criminal records are barred from accessing public housing and cannot live with family members who participate in the Housing Choice Vouchers program. In Congress, I will sponsor new legislation that remove barriers in accessing federal housing assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals and mitigates the unintended consequences that their return home poses to their families. I would also advocate for removing marijuana convictions from the CORI system and barring landlords from considering these convictions.
Reform affordable housing rules to allow more production of affordable artists housing and live-work space. Artists add immensely to the vibrancy of our communities. In Congress, I will work with my colleagues to establish federal incentives for states and municipalities that set-aside of a certain percentage of affordable units for certified artists who are income-eligible, allowing them to live and work in community.
Increase funding for YouthBuild programs. YouthBuild programs serve disconnected youth across the country, providing the opportunity to further their education while also gaining valuable professional skills and contributing thousands of units of affordable housing to their communities. The largest single source of funding for YouthBuild are grants funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. I would advocate for increasing the amount of grants awarded to YouthBuild programs, in order to scale up this proven approach.

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