It’s hot. Really hot. And while I am including the weather in that statement of fact I am also referring to the affordable housing policy track in Washington. Yes, you may be excused if you have been distract, dismayed or distraught about the current state of affairs in our nations capital and the world, unless of course you are a Red Sox or Dodgers fan. But as I have often suggested to audiences around the country, ignore the noise out there and focus on what is going on behind the scenes. For those of us with a penchant for housing policy, the state of affairs is promising.

We continue to bring on bipartisan cosponsors of H.R. 1661 & S. 548, The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act. More and more Members of Congress are in tune with the growing affordable housing crisis and hearing about it at home. The gospel of affordable housing’s chorus is growing louder and whether or not we can make these elected officials true believers will depend on the consistency of our advocacy as well as the strength of our message.

We also saw some new chapters added to verse recently. Senator Todd Young (R-IN), along with Senators Cantwell (D-WA), Gardner (R-CO), Rubio (R-FL), King (I-ME), Coons (D-DE), Jones (D-AL), Heller (R-NV) and Kaine (D-VA), introduced the Task Force on the Affordable Housing Crisis Act. If passed, this bill would create a bi-partisan group to study the causes and potential solutions to the affordable housing crisis. I, along with other members of the ACTION Campaign policy committee, provided feedback to the authors of the legislation and look forward to advocating for is adoption. We hope to have companion legislation introduced in the House. Of note, all but three (Gardner, Rubio & Jones) are cosponsors of S. 548.

Also of note is the introduction by your own Senator Kamala Harris of The Rent Relief Act, a bill that would provide a refundable tax credit for renters that pay more than 30% of their gross income on rent annually. Cosponsors of the bill include Senators Blumenthal (D-CT), Feinstein (D-CA) and Hassan (D-NH). The sentiment behind this legislation has been around for some time as has the effort to pass similar legislation. The ACTION Campaign has not taken a stance on the legislation as of this update. What is clear is that without more resources for new and rehabilitated housing, the housing crisis will only become more severe. Nonetheless, addressing the strain housing costs put on renters is admirable and worthy of consideration. 

These proposals, as well as others we have been discussing regarding the Historic Tax Credit and the LIHTC make for an interesting and potentially promising next few months leading into the mid-term elections and the 116th Congress. I will of course keep CHC apprised of further developments. Enjoy your summer and please, stay hydrated, put on that sun screen and yes, ignore the noise. It is not getting cooler anytime soon.