Last week, the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act was introduced by Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Angus King (I-Maine), as well as Senators Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.). As a response to the millions of people without affordable housing and its impact on communities across the nation, a bipartisan affordable housing task force is being proposed to recognize and respond to the affordable housing crisis.
“Affordable housing is a critical issue for Alabama families, both in urban and rural communities. Nearly every family budget starts with housing, but for far too many, housing prices continue to rise faster than wages,” said Senator Jones. “That’s why this Task Force is so important. It will help Congress understand not only the causes of the affordable housing crisis, but also the effect it has on so many other aspects of daily life. Most importantly, this Task Force will help us take a step towards what’s needed most – solutions.”
The Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act describes its mission to:
Evaluate and quantify the impact that a lack of affordable housing has on other areas of life and life outcomes for individuals living in the United States, including education, employment, income level, health, nutrition, access to transportation, and poverty level in the neighborhood in which individuals live, regional economic growth, and neighborhood and rural community stability and revitalization.
Evaluate and quantify the costs incurred by other Federal, State, and local programs due to a lack of affordable housing.
Make recommendations to Congress on how to use affordable housing to improve the effectiveness of other Federal programs and improve life outcomes for individuals living in the United States.
Read more here.
Recent studies, such as those found in the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University’s The State of the Nation’s Housing, as well as The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s March 2017 report The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes are just a few of the resources that highlight the lack of affordable housing in America.
CREA, too, supports the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act. “Senator Young’s approach to the affordable housing crisis is timely and thoughtful,” said CEO and President, Jeff Whiting. “Housing is a complex issue and the leadership demonstrated by both Senator Young and Cantwell reflect broader consideration of how housing impacts health care, the labor market, education, transportation, and child care.”