Habitat for Humanity calls on Congressional lawmakers to address the nationwide affordable housing crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 6, 2024) — In the face of a historic housing shortage that includes a lack of entry-level homes and skyrocketing home prices, Habitat for Humanity will mobilize advocates in Washington D.C. this week to call on Congress to take needed action to address the affordable housing crisis.

In the United States, nearly 1 in 6 households pay more than half of their income on housing. Advocates from 43 states will urge Congress to act and prioritize policies that will increase the number of affordable homes, especially for entry-level homeownership, including the following proposals:

• Robust funding for vital housing and community development programs at HUD and USDA in the fiscal year 2025 budget.
• Passage of the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, bipartisan legislation that will revitalize distressed neighborhoods by using federal tax credits to mobilize private investment in building and substantially rehabilitating homes for low- and moderate-income homeowners.

This mobilization effort coincides with the organization’s growing impact through advocacy. In 2019, Habitat launched Cost of Home, a five-year advocacy campaign. Now in its fifth and final year, Cost of Home has already helped 6.6 million people access stable, affordable homes through its advocacy efforts to influence more than 300 policies at the local, state and federal levels.

Habitat advocates will also highlight Home Equals, an international campaign dedicated to achieving policy change, at all levels, to ensure that people living in informal settlements around the world have equitable access to adequate housing.

Habitat for Humanity International will honor four congressional leaders who continually prioritize housing with the Habitat for Humanity Housing Champions Award. They include: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.; Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa.; Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.

“Meaningful and substantial action is needed at every level of government to ensure that every person has the stable foundation a safe place to live provides,” said Chris Vincent, vice president, government relations and advocacy at Habitat for Humanity International. “Elected officials have legislative options with bipartisan support to prioritize housing. We are raising our voices to make sure they know and understand how we all can make progress on this growing national challenge.”