Rep. Smith Introduces Bill to Provide Rental Assistance to Struggling Families Throughout the Pandemic
Press Release
Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after introducing the Ensuring a Long-Term Housing Recovery Act, which would utilize local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to provide rental assistance for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing affordable housing crisis facing far too many families in the Puget Sound region and across the country," said Congressman Adam Smith. "As many renters struggle to pay for the essentials and keep up with monthly rent and utilities, we must invest heavily in our most efficient and effective programs available for providing rental assistance."
"The Ensuring a Long-Term Housing Recovery Act will invest in new housing vouchers that eligible households can stay on until their income returns to normal. Housing vouchers are proven as one of the most effective policies for reducing homelessness and housing insecurity among low-income people and underserved communities," continued Congressman Smith. "Investing in single-issue vouchers for all income-eligible families through the Public Housing Authorities maximizes our ability to reach households in need of support and ensures that emergency rental assistance will be efficiently distributed and last as long as people need it."
The Ensuring a Long-Term Housing Recovery Act would provide $25 billion for single-issue vouchers through Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to all income-eligible families.
This would fund approximately 200,000 vouchers over five years.
The single-issue housing vouchers sunset whenever the initial households that use them exit the program. PHAs are prohibited from reissuing these vouchers to other households.
A portion of the $25 billion would be given to HUD to award to PHAs competitively to ensure a subset of vouchers are targeted in a manner consistent with highest need or awarded to PHAs with demonstrated capacity to issue vouchers quickly and effectively.
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