[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 32 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E461-E462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP IN THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOMES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 1997

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, an amazing and largely untold 
story has been developing for the past decade as nonprofits

[[Page E462]]

throughout the Nation move block-by-block to provide new homes in 
America's low-income neighborhoods and, at the same time, reinvigorate 
communities. To underscore these successes, Habitat for Humanity 
International, Local Initiatives Support Corporation [LISC], the 
Enterprise Foundation, and the National NeighborWorks Network 
are joining together to make an unprecedented commitment and challenge 
that will touch the lives of millions of people in communities across 
the country.
  Today, these four organizations announced a multibillion-dollar 
commitment to develop safe, decent, and affordable housing and have 
challenged Congress and the Nation to join them in this deeper 
commitment.
  The $13 billion commitment is projected to generate 193,800 
affordable homes and apartments in 2,475 urban, suburban, and rural 
communities. The homes they will provide range from remodeling and 
modernizing multifamily apartment buildings to constructing new homes 
for sale to low-income families. The initiative will touch 
neighborhoods across the country in farm towns and in dense urban inner 
cities. Tens of thousands of jobs will be created and tens of billions 
of dollars in private investment will be stimulated.
  And, Mr. Speaker, knowing of the past successes of each of these 
nonprofits, I am convinced that their commitment to this initiative 
will result in the exciting goals they have set for themselves.
  Congress can be an active partner in reaching these goals by 
continuing to provide the necessary tools to enable individuals, 
corporate leaders, philanthropic institutions, and others to continue 
to expand their support of providing more affordable homes. For 
example, programs like the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, Community 
Development Block Grants, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Earned 
Income Tax Credit, Rural Homeownership, HOME and Housing Opportunity 
Program are just a few of the programs that are uniquely effective and 
efficient in channeling private resources into community renewal and 
stretching scarce public dollars.
  I am pleased to join these organizations in celebrating these success 
stories and call upon my colleagues to make housing issues a priority 
in their legislative agendas.

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