I had the privilege of leading a team of CHC members to Capitol Hill last week and meeting with congressional representatives and their staff. In addition to stressing the need for ongoing support of federal affordable housing programs, we also directly thanked members of Congress who supported key provisions in the Cantwell-Hatch bill (S. 548) as part of the omnibus bill last month.

It was a pleasure to meet with Senator Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) staff while we were on the Hill. Senator Cantwell was instrumental in helping us achieve the 12.5% increase to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation for 4 years (2018-2021), income averaging, and helping garner support from many of her colleagues. We also met with 19 California Congressional members or staff, House Ways and Means Committee staff, Senate Finance Committee staff, and representatives at HUD.

While many of you joined the national social media and call-in action to educate Congress on why proposed Administration cuts to housing benefits are short-sighted, o ur CHC delegation was meeting with our Californian delegation and urging them to focus on expanding affordable housing and community development programs. We stressed that building affordable housing and helping people secure stable housing provides a return on investment not only for the individuals served but also for our community at large.

Closer to home, I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at CHC’s Policy Forum & Housing Hall of Fame Awards on May 11 . We are eager to hear from U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, a key supporter of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and among those who helped pass the omnibus bill. Also joining us for a state perspective will be Assemblymember Chiu and Assemblymember Bloom.

And before I see you, please be sure you and your organization have officially endorsed our Veterans and Affordable Housing Act.

Sincerely,

Ray Pearl
CHC Executive Director