Future of Affordable Housing Public Policy

1. Future of Affordable Housing Public Policy LSA Washington Public Policy Conference Call Thursday, June 19, 2008

2. Speakers • Heather Ansley • Director of Policy and Advocacy, Lutheran Services in America-Disabilities Network • Sheila Crowley • President, National Low Income Housing Coalition • Nancy Libson • Director of Housing Policy, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

3. Section 811 Housing • Funds the building and operation of housing for low-income people with disabilities. • Provides tenant-based rental assistance that funds mainstream housing vouchers. • Only 1,008 units were funded in FY 2007, despite the program’s successes. • A recent report titled The Hidden Housing Crisis: Worst Case Housing Needs Among Adults with Disabilities estimates that 2.3-2.4 million non-elderly adult disabled households with and without children have worst case housing needs. • http://www.tacinc.org/Docs/HH/HiddenHousingCrisis.pdf

4. Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2008 (H.R. 5772) • Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-CT) introduced the legislation on April 10. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) is the main co-sponsor. • Includes a new demonstration program utilizing project rental assistance contracts to leverage housing units in developments financed with low income housing tax credits and HOME-financed rental housing. • Maintains the current program’s use of capital advances and long-term rental assistance.

5. National Affordable Housing Trust Fund • To construct, rehabilitate, and preserve 1,500,000 units of housing over the next 10 years. • Funding from fee levied on government-sponsored entities (GSE) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac • Trust Fund monies used for low income families

6. Housing and Economic Recovery Act (H.R. 3221) • Introduced Thursday, June 19, 2008, in the Senate • Includes an amendment which would create and fund a national affordable housing trust fund • Updated information can be found in LSA Washington or at www.nlihc.org

7. FY 2009 Appropriations • Budget chart for select housing programs can be found at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/FY09_BudgetChart.pdf • President’s request zeroed out funding for HOPE VI (public housing restructuring) and Rural Housing and Economic Development, among others

8. Section 202 • 3.6 million seniors living below the poverty level • At least 10 seniors waiting for every unit of Section 202 affordable housing • Elderly population expected to double by 2030

9. Section 202 Housing • Provides capital development grants and rental assistance contracts to non-profit, build and maintain housing for low-income seniors. • Funded at $735 million for the past 3 years • President’s FY09 proposal: $540 million • AASHA recommendation: $2 billion

10. 202 Reform Legislation • S. 2736 introduced in the Senate on March 7, 2008, by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI); in need of cosponsors • Would streamline development and refinancing processes of 202 properties • Would expand definition of projects eligible for assisted living conversion grants • Passed unanimously by the House (H.R. 2930) on December 5, 2007

11. Questions? • Lisa Hassenstab, LSA • lhassenstab@lutheranservices.org • Heather Ansley, LSA-DN • hansley@lutheranservices.org • Sheila Crowley, NLIHC • sheila@nlihc.org • Nancy Libson • nlibson@aahsa.org