CLPHA Advocacy

CLPHA supports the nation’s largest and most innovative housing authorities by advocating for the resources and policies they need to solve local housing challenges and create communities of opportunity. We frequently champion our members' issues, needs, and successes on the Hill, at HUD, and in the media. In these arenas CLPHA also advocates for legislation and policies that help our members, and the public and affordable housing industry as a whole, strengthen neighborhoods and improve lives.

Click below for links to congressional testimonies, statements for the record, action alerts, comments to HUD and other federal agencies, and the latest information about CLPHA's multi-pronged housing advocacy.

Action Alerts

11.28.22

ACTION ALERT: Ask Congress to Pass a FY23 THUD Funding Bill Before the December 16 Deadline

Congress Needs To Increase Public And Affordable Housing Funding

Background:

The federal government is currently funded under a continuing resolution (CR) that expires December 16 this year. If the government does not take additional action it runs out of money and has to shut down. Given the uncertainty of what will happen in the appropriations process during the next Congress beginning in January, it is critical that the current Congress finish the work already begun and pass a full year FY23 appropriations bill. CLPHA is particularly concerned with the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) proposed legislation currently in final negotiations between the House and Senate.

CLPHA and industry partners recently sent a letter and revised joint appropriations request to the leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees asking for specific funding levels and authorizing language be included in the final THUD appropriations bill. Among our requests, we ask Congress to increase funding for the HUD defined shortfalls in the public housing operating fund program to $345 million to accommodate all eligible housing authorities. We ask the committees to accept the Senate-proposed level of $364 million in set-aside funding for tenant protection vouchers (TPVs) since HUD recently indicated that the current demand for TPVs has exceeded its initial projections for FY23 and they again anticipate not being able to fund replacement TPVs for vacant units in calendar year 2023 without additional funding. We also ask that HUD be directed to determine the impact of recent changes to the calculation of FY23 Fair Market Rents (FMRs), because of the recent extension of regulatory waivers increasing payment standards up to 120 percent of the FMR in local housing markets affecting the need for additional housing assistance payments (HAP) set-aside funding.

ACTION:

CLPHA is calling on members to:

1) Ask your Members of Congress to support the recommendations included in the public housing industry joint funding request and joint industry letter.

2) Ask your Members of Congress to support the THUD funding bill.

3) Ask your Members of Congress to support final passage of a full-year FY23 appropriations bill.

For questions or additional information, contact Gerard Holder, CLPHA Legislative Director at gholder@clpha.org.

7.12.22

ACTION ALERT: Urge Congress to Reinsert Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) Language in the FY 2023 HUD Appropriations Bill

BACKGROUND:

CLPHA and our industry partners today sent a letter (and attachments Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2) to House and Senate Appropriations Committee members asking to include legislative language that prevents HUD from implementing unilateral changes to the ACC in the forthcoming FY23 appropriations bill. This joint industry request was made by CLPHA, the MTW Collaborative, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA).

CLPHA and our industry partners remain concerned that HUD’s continued attempts to revise the ACC will circumvent the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), unilaterally change the contractual relationship between HUD and public housing agencies (PHAs), and strip PHAs of their ability to challenge HUD’s breach of contract actions, which PHAs have recently successfully litigated. Without the inclusion of the legislative language mentioned in our letter, we are concerned that HUD’s ability to make problematic changes to the ACC has been renewed.

This week the full House passed six appropriations bills including its version of the FY23 HUD bill. Since the Senate has not yet taken action on their bill version, we hope to have the ACC language included in the Senate bill, and we are seeking eventual conference committee action between the House and Senate to include the ACC language and committee report language.

ACTION:

We are asking housing authorities to sign and send a similar letter asking their representatives in both the House and Senate to reinstate the legislative language regarding the ACC in the General Provisions section of the FY23 HUD appropriations legislation.

We’ve drafted a sample letter as a guide for you.

Download the Letter Template

Once you’ve downloaded the sample letter, fill out the highlighted fields and personalize the letter as appropriate.
We recommend that you email the letter(s) to your representatives.

If you have any questions, contact Gerard Holder, CLPHA Legislative Director, at gholder@clpha.org.

1.26.22

CLPHA, Industry Groups Urge PHAs to Sign Congressional Letter Advocating for Housing Funding Levels to Be Kept in Build Back Better Act

10.6.21

ACTION ALERT: KEEP HOUSING FUNDING IN BUILD BACK BETTER ACT

CLPHA has been made aware that funding for housing is at serious risk of being removed from the Build Back Better Act under consideration in the budget reconciliation negotiations currently underway in Congress and the White House. The House Financial Services Committee on September 14 provided $327 billion in funding for affordable housing and community development programs to be included in the President’s Build Back Better Act. The housing investments in this economic recovery package is expected to help make transformational improvements in the lives of low-income and vulnerable Americans and in our communities. The negotiations are on a fast track and taking place at the highest levels between the House and Senate leadership, key members of Congress, and the White House. We understand Congress and the White House have not heard from housing stakeholders on the importance of keeping housing in the legislation. We have been told that the next 48 hours are critical to keeping housing in the legislation. Since housing is very much on the chopping block, we encourage CLPHA members to: Reach out to your representatives in the House and Senate and ask them to contact their leadership and express support for retaining the housing provisions in the Build Back Better Act. We cannot overstate how important it is for you to contact your Congresspersons and Senators and have them communicate with their Leadership and the White House that HOUSING MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT!


Important Talking Points Include: In January 2020, HUD) reported at least 580,466 people were homeless, which represents a 2.2 percent increase from 2019. Despite these growing needs, only 1 in 5 eligible families currently receive assistance. Public housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers play a critical role in our nation's infrastructure and social safety net, providing families with a stable home and assisting them in opportunities for upward mobility. Across the United States, public housing provides almost 1 million units of housing to over 1.8 million people, including 800,000 children, and more than half the population in public housing is elderly and disabled. The 2.3 million Section 8 housing choice vouchers house an additional 5.2 million people including 2.2 million children. In many cities and towns across the nation, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities and families with children rely on public housing, now perhaps more than ever before. In some instances, no other source of housing could take its place more readily or affordably. An investment in public housing capital needs will spur local economic growth, as occurred with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 99.9% of all public housing ARRA capital funds were obligated and expended under accelerated time frames. With $4 billion in capital funds, researchers found that agencies invested in over 245,000 affordable units, created 26 jobs for every $1 million spent on capital projects, and generated nearly $12.5 billion in national economic activity.¹


	¹Public Housing Stimulus Funding: A Report on the Economic Impact of Recovery Act Capital Improvements, Commissioned by PHADA, CLPHA and NAHRO with funding from the Housing Authority Insurance (HAI) Group, 2011.

4.28.21

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the SAVE Act

3.25.21

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Broadband Access

2.10.21

ACTION ALERT: ASK CONGRESS TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOUSING VOUCHERS IN THE NEXT COVID-19 RELIEF BILL

8.12.20

ACTION ALERT: CLPHA CALLS ON MEMBERS TO ENDORSE THE YIMBY ACT

7.22.20

ACTION ALERT: TELL YOUR SENATORS THAT HOUSING AUTHORITIES NEED EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE SENATE STIMULUS BILL

Emergency rental assistance is in jeopardy in the latest stimulus package in the Senate. Early indication is that housing assistance and direct rental assistance will not be a part of the Senate legislative package. The Senate is debating the stimulus right now. Renters are facing a devastating cliff with CARES Act protections expiring at the end of this month. Public housing authorities’ voices are critical to the Senate debate. The Senate returned this week, resuming legislative activity for the next two weeks until their next recess begins August 7. This is the last opportunity to pass emergency economic relief and stimulus legislation in 2020 before Congress hits the campaign trail for the November elections. The recent House-passed HR 6800, the “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act” or the “HEROES Act,” is a critically needed legislative package designed to provide economic relief to states, cities, local jurisdictions, medical front-line workers, first responders, unemployed persons, consumers, students, renters, homeowners, housing providers, and more. The HEROES Act provides over $114 billion in funding for housing and community development programs. It includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, $4 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, $2 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, and $750 million for Project Based Rental Assistance. For this reason, CLPHA is urging members to make your voices heard to ensure emergency rental assistance is included in the next economic relief and stimulus package. CLPHA is calling for the $100 billion under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG) to be made flexible to allow different funding portals, such as emergency single-use housing vouchers, or for other rental assistance platforms be able to allocate the funds.

CLPHA strongly encourages members to:

Urge your Senators to include housing and rental assistance in the next economic relief and stimulus package.
Ask your Senators to allow $100 billion in ESG funds from the HEROES Act be made flexible for delivery through multiple funding platforms, such as emergency single-use housing vouchers.

Without your active engagement with your Senators, providing additional housing assistance to housing authorities will be jeopardized.

Senators must hear from you to know this is important!

For questions or additional information, contact CLPHA Legislative Director Gerard Holder at gholder@clpha.org.

CLPHA Recent Comments

4.25.23

CLPHA, Reno & Cavanaugh Submit Comments on AFFH

4.25.23

CLPHA Comments on NSPIRE Scoring Methodology; NSPIRE Scoring Calculator Now Available

Recently, CLPHA held a series of listening sessions to hear members’ concerns with HUD’s proposed NSPIRE Scoring Methodology. CLPHA has prepared comments on the proposed rule for members to review. Members are encouraged to use CLPHA’s letter to guide their own comments. Comments are due to regulations.gov on Thursday, April 27.

3.10.23

CLPHA Submits Comments to OMB on Guidance for Grants for BABA

CLPHA has submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Guidance for Grants and Agreements to support the implementation of the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act.

3.7.23

CLPHA Submits Comments on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Notice

CLPHA and its counsel Reno & Cavanaugh have submitted comments on a

11.16.22

CLPHA Urges Raising Threshold, Expanding Exigent Circumstances Waivers, and Extending BAP Implementation in Comments about Proposed BABA Waivers

10.3.22

CLPHA, Reno & Cavanaugh Comments to HUD on Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public/Private Partnerships for Mixed Financing of Public Housing

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View All CLPHA Comments

Latest News

5.11.23

Congressional Champions Reintroduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act

From the ACTION Campaign, of which CLPHA is a steering committee member:

Affordable housing champions in Congress introduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) of 2023 today to strengthen and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit). The bipartisan legislation is sponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Todd Young (R-IN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-02), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19). The House version was introduced with over 60 bipartisan original cosponsors, in addition to the leads.

The ACTION Campaign provided the following statement for the AHCIA congressional leads’ press release:

“Housing has become a top issue across the country, with communities of all sizes and types experiencing significant shortages. The Housing Credit is the number one federal tool for building and preserving rental homes that are within reach for families and individuals struggling to make ends meet. We commend this bipartisan, bicameral group of congressional leaders on the introduction of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, which would both expand and strengthen the Housing Credit. Since its inception in 1986, the Housing Credit has created 3.7 million homes for over 8 million households, but more resources are needed. Congress should move swiftly to enact this critical legislation to address our affordable housing crisis and build strong, vibrant, and equitable communities where everyone has a stable and secure place to call home."

Both bills include the same key financing provisions from the previous version: a 50 percent increase in Housing Credit allocations, phased in evenly over two years; lowering the Private Activity Bond financing threshold (the so-called “50 percent test”) down to 25 percent; and basis boosts for rural developments, Tribal communities, and extremely low-income tenants (people earning 30 percent or less than the area median income), as well as a state discretionary boost to make certain projects financially feasible. These provisions would finance an estimated 1.94 million new affordable homes over the next decade.

Read the full press release from the House and Senate AHCIA sponsors.

The AHCIA also includes a number of other important provisions that would help preserve existing affordable housing and improve program implementation, including improving access for veterans, students, and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

While the bills are largely the same as in the last Congress, there are a few minor, mostly technical changes to the AHCIA of 2023. These include adding a “Sense of Congress” language on data and transparency, which notes the bills authors’ intent to address this area in advance of enactment and an adjustment to one provision to reflect passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which enacted aspects of one section of the bill. In addition, the Senate version of the bill includes a “Sense of the Senate” related to land use and zoning, which is not in the House legislation. You can read more about this in the bill differences document.

For more information on the bill, please see the following resources:

AHCIA one-page summary
AHCIA detailed bill summary
AHCIA differences between 118th and 117th Congress

Visit www.rentalhousingaction.org for more information about the Campaign's efforts to expand, strengthen, and protect the Housing Credit.

5.9.23

HUD Publishes NSPIRE Final Rule

HUD has released the pre-publication copy of the final rule for the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). The Final Rule contains information on the implementation timeline, the new affirmative standards, the frequency of inspections, addressing and appealing Findings, and much more. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge will officially announce the NSPIRE Final Rule at a resident-focused event tomorrow.

CLPHA and its members have repeatedly voiced concerns about NSPIRE’s scoring methodology and implementation timeline. Most recently, CLPHA and its industry partners sent a joint letter to HUD asking to delay NSPIRE’s implementation.

Next Steps in NSPIRE Implementation:

NSPIRE will go live for Public Housing on July 1, 2023. NSPIRE will go live on October 1, 2023, for HCV, Multifamily, Project-Based Voucher, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, and CPD Programs including HOME, CDBG, HTF, HOPWA, ESG, and CoC.

Despite CLPHA’s advocacy for advisory scores during the rollout, HUD has opted not to give PHAs advisory scores. Inspections after these dates will be official inspections of record. However, any changes to the NSPIRE Scoring Methodology will be retroactively applied to inspections that took place during the first year of NSPIRE inspections of record.

HUD will establish NSPIRE Standards and Administrative Procedures through separate Federal Register notices. HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) will publish separate notices before October 1, 2023, to implement NSPIRE for programs under CPD’s jurisdiction. At a later date, HUD will publish a third additional notice to implement a process for collecting and utilizing resident feedback as part of the inspection process.

Temporarily, HUD has extended its timeline to schedule NSPIRE inspections. For the first year after NSPIRE goes live, the Notice details that "inspections will occur no earlier than 6 months before and no later than 6 months after the anniversary of the previous inspection.” This means that PHAs may expect that inspections will occur no later than 6 months after the fiscal year-end (FYE). For example, if a PHA’s FYE is March 31, the latest date an inspection may occur is September 30.

CLPHA will publish a more detailed analysis of the NSPIRE Final Rule soon. If you have any questions, you can contact Malcolm Guy, CLPHA’s Policy and Research Analyst, at mguy@clpha.org.

4.28.23

CLPHA, Industry Partners Send Joint Letter to HUD Asking to Delay NSPIRE Scoring Implementation

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Archived CLPHA Congressional Testimony & Comments

DHA CEO Testifies on Behalf of CLPHA Before House Appropriations THUD Subcommittee

Testimony of Paul Graziano before House Financial Services Committee on Hearing: “The Administration’s Proposal to Preserve and Transform Public and Assisted Housing: The Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative” (5.25.10)

5-25-10 Testimony - Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative

Testimony of Keith Kinard before Senate Financial Services Committee on Hearing: "Public Housing One-for-One Replacement and Tenant Protection Act of 2010" (4.27.10)

4-27-10 Testimony - Public Housing Preservation and One-For-One Replacement

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We are asking housing authorities and housing organizations to sign on to a similar letter to Congressional leaders urging them to retain funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund and Housing Choice Vouchers in the Build Back Better legislation. Sign-ons are Due by February 4! SIGN THE LETTER

Deadline: 5:00 PM ET Tomorrow, March 26 Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 1904: The Broadband Justice Act of 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the growing digital divide and the deepening disparities among access to essential technology. These inequities especially impact lower income households and those living in federally assisted housing. By updating the definitions used by HUD, the Department of Treasury, and USDA for utility allowance, The Broadband Justice Act of 2021 would bring affordable broadband to 8 million households residing in federally assisted housing throughout the nation. Bolstered through the creation of a new grant program to develop the required infrastructure and additional operating funds to mitigate increased costs, access to broadband as an allowed utility would be federally subsidized, in a similar way that gas, electricity, and water currently are. Congressman Bowman (D-NY), the bill sponsor, is organizing support for the letter and has set a Friday, March 26, 5:00 pm ET deadline for House members to sign on.

ACTION: 1) CLPHA is asking you to strongly encourage your Members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 1904: The Broadband Justice Act of 2021. 2) Your Member of Congress should fill out this form to cosponsor the bill. For additional information, please email Josh Shokoor, CLPHA Research & Policy Analyst, at jshokoor@clpha.org.

Congressional Democrats are moving the next COVID-19 bill swiftly through Congress. CLPHA and other national public housing industry groups are asking our members to sign on to a joint industry letter to be sent to congressional leadership asking for additional emergency funding and longer-term preservation resources for public housing operating funding, housing vouchers, and infrastructure funding.

The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities has endorsed H.R. 4351, the Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act. The YIMBY Act, originally co-sponsored by Representatives Denny Heck (D-WA) and Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN), is a bipartisan housing bill that seeks to encourage, while not mandating, localities to advance policies that eliminate discriminatory land use policies, exclusionary zoning and other artificial barriers to building affordable housing. The YIMBY Act achieves these goals by requiring Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients to report periodically on the extent to which they are removing discriminatory land use policies and implementing inclusive and affordable housing policies detailed by the bill. The YIMBY Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed under suspension of the rules on March 2, 2020, and is now in the Senate awaiting consideration. CLPHA is working with Up for Growth Action, the lead advocacy organization generating support for the bill, and is encouraging our members to sign-on as an endorser of the bill. There is a narrow window of opportunity to advance the YIMBY bill to passage after recess in September, and broad geographic, organizational, and industry support can help convince Senate leadership the bill should be considered for a vote.