[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 140 (Monday, November 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 CONGRATULATING THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION ON ITS 40TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MAXINE WATERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 17, 2014

  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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