[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS HURTS ECONOMIC GROWTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Oregon, like much of the 
country, is facing a housing affordability crisis that is hurting 
families and the economy.
  I recently held six listening sessions in the district I represent. 
In every community--urban, suburban, and rural--I heard from 
individuals, employers, local officials, and nonprofits that told me 
the lack of affordable housing is having serious consequences around 
northwest Oregon.
  Over the last several years, housing costs have gone up 
significantly, but wages have not. Available housing stock has not kept 
up with demand, driving prices higher and higher. Much of the new 
housing that is being built is unaffordable for middle- and low-income 
households.
  To afford a modest one-bedroom unit at fair market rent, someone 
earning minimum wage in Yamhill County, Oregon, for example, would need 
to work 65 hours a week. In Multnomah County, someone would need to 
work 81 hours a week to pay for a modest one-bedroom apartment--81 
hours a week.
  Housing is foundational. It forms the bedrock of a family's stability 
and security, and it is vital to each person's full participation in 
society.
  The toll of this crisis on families and communities is devastating, 
and it is also hampering economic growth. I heard time and again from 
employers who are struggling to attract workers in areas where housing 
was unaffordable or unavailable, employees commuting long hours because 
they cannot afford to live closer to their jobs.
  In Columbia County, for example, I heard how the lack of affordable 
housing for just one individual negatively affected the whole 
community. The county government recruited a highly qualified new 
finance director from another State, only to have that person struggle 
to find a permanent place to live. After staying in an RV for 4 months, 
she finally had to quit in the middle of budget season because she 
could not find a place to live.
  Federal policies and resources are a vital part of addressing this 
true national crisis. Unfortunately, Federal support for cost-burdened 
individuals and families is severely insufficient and declining.
  According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy, more than one-third 
of Oregon households are cost-burdened. That is 530,000 households 
spending more than 30 percent of their income on shelter, with some 
spending more than half of their income for a place to live.
  Despite that tremendous need, only one out of every five eligible 
families receives any Federal housing assistance. Wait lists at public 
housing authorities often stretch into years.
  At the Federal level, we have many tools to help address these 
problems: tax incentives, voucher programs, public housing, and grants 
that empower nonprofits and communities that implement local 
strategies. But the resources Congress provides are woefully 
insufficient.
  We need to do much more if we honestly want to make sure that every 
person in our communities has the dignity and stability of a roof over 
their head.
  Mr. Speaker, this crisis is why I support transformative legislation 
like the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act. It would invest 
$445 billion to create 3 million deeply affordable homes and cut rental 
costs by 10 percent.
  I also strongly support the Ending Homelessness Act to 
comprehensively address chronic homelessness by providing a surge of 
resources that will drastically expand access to housing and case 
management that integrates healthcare and other supportive services. 
Our communities are better and families will thrive when everyone has a 
home.
  Ultimately, any solution will require a determined and coordinated 
effort by all stakeholders, including community activists, developers, 
lenders, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials at every level of 
government.
  Congress must step up and be part of the solution. I ask my 
colleagues to join me today in committing to bold action to address the 
housing affordability crisis in Oregon and across the country.

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