Congratulating the National Low Income Housing Coalition on Its 40th Anniversary

Floor Speech

Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the National Low Income Housing Coalition, or "NLIHC,'' on its 40th Anniversary.

NLIHC is the only national advocacy organization solely focused on the housing needs of extremely low income households--that is, households with incomes at or below 30 percent of the area median income.

While numerous organizations concentrate on federal housing policy, NLIHC is unique because of its sole focus on the needs of extremely low income people, the only population experiencing an absolute shortage of affordable housing. NLIHC remains firm to its mission, even at times when doing so is not popular.

Since its inception, NLIHC has been a leader in the effort to address the housing needs of those with the lowest incomes. From the time that Cushing N. Dolbeare founded the Ad Hoc Low Income Housing Coalition, a predecessor to NLIHC, the organization has worked to better educate constituents about when and how to make their voices heard.

Ms. Dolbeare authored or co-authored dozens of articles, books and reports, most notably a widely-cited annual report on the gap between housing costs and the wages of low income people. This publication continues to be relied upon on Capitol Hill, and the data included in it are instrumental in making the case for continued federal support for housing programs that reach those in our society with the very lowest incomes.

NLIHC has found through its research that for every 100 extremely low income renter households, there are only 31 affordable and available units. This shortage worsens every year and exists in every state in the country. The need is particularly acute given current funding for HUD programs, which is only enough to reach one in four eligible households. Households who cannot get assistance, even though they are eligible, must spend the majority of their meager incomes on housing, leaving very little for other expenses. Often, something like a medical emergency or job loss leaves a household at risk of experiencing homelessness or another unstable housing situation.

To address the housing shortage, NLIHC's most notable achievement to date has been its work towards creating a National Housing Trust Fund in 2008. The NHTF was initially to be funded by contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The contributions were temporarily suspended in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis. The Trust Fund, once it is capitalized, will provide the largest investment in over 40 years for the production, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing for extremely low income households. It would jumpstart construction in our communities--providing both jobs and sustainable housing opportunities to moderate and low-income people.

I have been eager to see the Housing Trust Fund funded, and I call on my colleagues to find additional sources of funding from outside of the appropriations process, to capitalize it. The NHTF, funded to scale, is the most promising way for our nation to end the affordable housing shortage which exists in every state in the country, and advance on the progress we are already making as a country towards ending homelessness.

In addition, NLIHC has been a leading voice in assuring that the rights of renters and extremely low income households are protected as Congress addressed foreclosures.
With hundreds of members across the country, and consistently incisive research and policy analysis, NLIHC is a respected voice in Washington, D.C. that has helped produce policies impacting the lives of millions. I congratulate NLIHC on its 40th Anniversary, and I look forward to working with NLIHC in the future to address the housing needs of the very poorest Americans. There is a lot of work that remains to be done, but I have no doubt that with NLIHC as a partner, we are up to the task.

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