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

1.28.25

URGENT: Contact Your Members of Congress to Communicate How the Pause in Federal Funding Is Impacting Your PHA

Yesterday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a memorandum, which directs all federal agencies to pause all “federal financial assistance” (FFA) "to the extent permissible under applicable law." The temporary pause in funding will become effective on January 28, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

According to news reports, OMB distributed a questionnaire to federal agencies this morning asking them to provide information about whether their programs are in compliance with the Trump administration’s policy goals and executive orders. OMB’s questions for agencies concern undocumented immigration, environmental and climate justice programs, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and initiatives.

Capitol Hill staff, HUD staff, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders appear uncertain about how the memo will be enforced, which programs are affected, and how long this pause will last.

Housing authorities are reporting that they are locked out of eLOCCS before the 5:00 p.m. deadline. We are investigating if this is a systemwide issue or if it is deliberate. We anticipate that PHAs will be locked out of eLOCCS after 5:00 p.m. ET today.

If you are locked out of eLOCCS, contact your member of Congress and Senators to make sure they are aware of the problem. Congress needs to hear how this pause is disrupting daily operations of public housing authorities.

When speaking with Members of Congress highlight the following points:

Highlight how the pause is affecting your daily operations, especially if you are locked out of eLOCCS. Your Member of Congress/Senator may not understand what exactly what eLOCCS is. Explain that it is the system that allows public housing authorities to access federal funds for key housing programs such as vouchers and public housing.
Highlight the breakdown of residents you serve who will be impacted by the pause: the number of seniors, children, veterans who could lose access to federal housing assistance at your PHA.
Highlight the economic impact that your public housing authority has in your community, such as jobs created, number of private landlords affected, and if the pause would halt any development deals.

Please share the outcome of your conversations with Members of Congress with CLPHA Legislative Manager Cynthia Cuestas at [email protected].

12.6.24

ACTION ALERT: Contact Your Member of Congress to Support Full Funding for Housing Choice Voucher Renewals in the FY25 Appropriations Bill

7.31.24

ACTION ALERT: TAX BILL EXPANDING HOUSING CREDIT HEADED TO SENATE FLOOR

4.15.24

ACTION ALERT: Urge the Senate to Pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024

In February, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7024, The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, which received overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill includes two Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) provisions that would restore the 12.5% allocation increase for 2023 to 2025 and lower the 50% bond financing threshold to 30% for Private Activity Bond allocations made in 2024 to 2025. The bill also includes a $33 billion expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for the next three years. While the CTC in this bill is not as generous as the 2021 provision included in the American Rescue Plan, this expansion and continuation of the program acknowledges that the benefits provided by the CTC should be continued.

The legislation faced various roadblocks in the Senate, including opposition from Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID) due to the CTC provisions included in the bill. However, ongoing discussions are still happening to possibly move the bill forward for a floor vote. We strongly ask that CLPHA members continue to reach out to your Senators and urge them to pass H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

ACTION:

When asking your Senator to support the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, mention the importance of, and share your support for, the two LIHTC and CTC related provisions in the bill and ask that the housing provisions are retained in the Senate:

LIHTC provisions:

Restore the 12.5% allocation increase for 2023 – 2025. This allocation increase was initially enacted in 2018 but expired in 2021.
Lower the 50% bond financing threshold to 30% for Private Activity Bond (PAB) allocations made in 2024 – 2025.

CTC provisions:

“Lookback rule” allowing families to use their earnings from the prior year to calculate their credit if they exceed the family’s earnings in the current year.
Increases the maximum refundable amount per child to $1,800 in tax year 2023, $1,900 in tax year 2024, and $2,000 in tax year 2025, along with the inflation adjustment described below.
Adjust the $2,000 value of the child tax credit for inflation in tax years 2024 and 2025, rounded down to the nearest $100.

The ACTION Campaign, where CLPHA is a Steering Committee member, has prepared background and advocacy materials about the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

2.2.24

ACTION ALERT: Contact the Senate to Pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024

On February 1, 2024, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7024, The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 which includes two Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) provisions that were also included in the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (H.R. 3238/S. 1557). According to Novogradac, the provisions which would restore the 12.5 percent allocation for 2023-2025 and lower the 50 percent bond financial threshold to 30 percent for 2024-2025, would finance more than 200,000 additional affordable homes.

The bill still needs to be considered by the Senate, which faces several challenges, including a busy legislative agenda for February. Members of the Senate have also floated the idea of scheduling a potential markup of the bill which could potentially amend the legislation and further delay any vote to bring the bill on the Senate floor. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act may also be the last opportunity for Congress to pass any tax related provisions until 2025.

The ACTION Campaign, where CLPHA is a Steering Committee member, has prepared background and advocacy materials about the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

ACTION:

We strongly ask that CLPHA members reach out to your Senators and urge them to pass H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
When asking your Member of Congress to support H.R. 7024, mention the importance and share your support for the two LIHTC related provisions in the bill and ask that the housing provisions are retained in the Senate:
- Restore the 12.5 percent allocation increase for 2023 – 2025. This allocation increase was initially enacted in 2018 but expired in 2021.
- Lower the 50 percent bond financing threshold to 30 percent for Private Activity Bond (PAB) allocations made in 2024 – 2025.

For questions or additional information, contact Gerard Holder, CLPHA Legislative Director at [email protected]. or Cynthia Cuestas, CLPHA Legislative Assistant, at [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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.

CLPHA Recent Comments

3.3.25

CLPHA Calls for Reform of Long-Term Costs for Affordable Housing Developers

10.15.24

CLPHA Comments on Choice Neighborhoods Program

Comments Call for Aligning CN Requirements with Other Programs, Streamlining Application to Fit Typical Development Processes

6.17.24

CLPHA Submits Final Comments on Reducing Barriers to HUD-Assisted Housing Proposed Rule

CLPHA, along with Reno & Cavanaugh PLLC,

6.7.24

CLPHA Prepares Comments on Reducing Barriers to HUD-Assisted Housing Proposed Rule

“Criminal Activity” Clarification and Sliding Scale Time Frame Top CLPHA’s Concerns

4.16.24

CLPHA Expresses Concerns about Domestic Materials Sourcing, Timing, Project Cost Impacts in Comments about BABA

1.30.24

CLPHA Calls for Holistic Approach to HUD’s Proposed 30-Day Eviction Notification Requirement

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View All CLPHA Comments

Latest News

6.6.25

CLPHA Outlines Solutions to Mitigate Devastating Effects of the Termination of the Emergency Housing Voucher Program in New Brief

60,000 Households at Risk of Homelessness, Thousands of Property Owners Face Loss of Rental Income

Today, CLPHA released a new brief outlining the solutions needed to mitigate the sudden and unexpected termination of the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, which will be devastating for families, private property owners, and their communities. 60,000 households will face homelessness and thousands of property owners will risk losing rental income if Congress does not act to secure additional funding, enact statutory solutions, and provide regulatory flexibility to redress the negative effects of the EHV program’s termination.

The EHV program, established in May 2021 through the American Rescue Plan, represents one of the most significant and successful federal investments in addressing homelessness in recent history. EHVs have proven to be a lifeline for some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including young children, seniors, and people with disabilities, by providing immediate access to stable housing and supportive services. The program’s success has been driven by flexible funding that enables public housing authorities (PHA) to offer landlord incentives, pay security and utility deposits, and support tenants with housing search assistance.

With $5 billion in funding, the program created 70,000 vouchers to assist individuals and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or transitioning out of homelessness. CLPHA members administer approximately 30,000 EHVs, accounting for nearly half of the total leased EHVs in the United States.

Congress must act to protect 60,000 households from facing homelessness and thousands of property owners from experiencing lost income. Learn more about CLPHA's EHV advocacy on clpha.org.

See Also: CLPHA, Industry Partners Outline Disastrous Effects of Ending Funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher Program in 5/19/25 Letter to Congress

View CLPHA's Brief

6.4.25

CLPHA, Industry Groups Urge Congress to Fully Fund Rental Assistance in FY26 Funding Request for Public Housing and HUD Programs

5.22.25

University of California, Berkeley Team Blue Wins CLPHA’s Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition

Winning Team Awarded $15,000 and Will Present Their Design at CLPHA’s Summer Meeting, Hosted by Atlanta Housing

UC Berkeley Team Gold Earns Second Place; University of Kansas and Yale University Teams Named Runners-up

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 22, 2025) – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to announce that the University of California, Berkeley’s Team Blue has been named the winner of the 2025 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition. The first-place team, comprised of Omeed Ansari, Yameen Arshad, Balaji Balaganesan, Harrison Haigood, and Chelsea Hall, will be awarded $15,000 and present their winning design at CLPHA’s Summer Meeting, hosted by Atlanta Housing, on June 13 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 2025 competition partnered with the Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA) in Palm Beach County, Florida. CLPHA stepped in to host the competition after it was terminated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"CLPHA congratulates UC Berkeley Team Blue on winning the 2025 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “Their ‘Mango Commons’ design incorporated innovative, climate-resilient design, thoughtful integration of resident services and programs, and comprehensive financing solutions that brought PBCHA’s community to life. This first-place team and all participating university teams represent the best and brightest in the future of affordable housing development, design, and planning, and CLPHA is honored to celebrate their ingenuity and hard work.”

Each year, the Innovation in Affordable Housing competition invites graduate students enrolled in accredited educational institutions in the United States to form multi-disciplinary teams to respond to an existing affordable housing design and planning issue. The competition requires teams composed of graduate students in architecture, planning and policy, finance, and other areas to address social, economic, environmental, design, financial, and construction issues in addition to an affordable housing design challenge.

The theme for the 2025 competition is “designing for disasters.” The graduate student teams were challenged to address the lack of affordable housing in Palm Beach County due to a shortage of land for development, while also considering the property is subject to Florida weather related to heat, heavy rains resulting in flooding, hurricanes and high winds, as well as post-disaster safety concerns. The student teams were tasked with redeveloping an underutilized 13+ acre parcel of land owned by PBCHA that currently has a 134-unit public housing development and a maximum density of 350 units.

UC Berkeley Team Blue’s winning design, named Mango Commons, is rooted in disaster resilience, long-term sustainability, and community cohesion. The 350-unit, three-phased redevelopment plan for PBCHA is innovative and resident-driven. Mango Commons makes use of built and natural systems for climate resilience, underpinned by the site’s self-sustaining circular economy. In its design, the project boasts large outdoor verandas to build social resilience and hearken to Southern “front porch” culture. Mango Commons also leverages community gardens, tech education, and culinary programming to promote food security, self-sufficiency, and intergenerational activities for the entire community. Lastly, for its financing, it incorporates a unique option-to-buy program and a partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for ownership.

“Competitions like this are so important for students to be able to address real-life situations and learn through doing,” said UC Berkeley Team Blue Faculty Advisor Lydia Tan. “UC Berkeley’s Team Blue this year was exemplary—the team dug deep into the local issues facing the Palm Beach County Housing Authority and the community, talking with a plethora of local stakeholders in an effort to truly understand the local ecosystem. The team’s ultimate proposal is realistically executable, would result in an amazing environment for current and future residents, and can act as a catalyst to bring the local community even closer together. Thanks to CLPHA and all of those who picked up the task of carrying out the competition so that all the students who competed could have their ideas shared with the public.”

The University of California, Berkeley’s Team Gold earned second place in the competition and will be awarded $5,000. Runner-up teams from the University of Kansas and Yale University will be awarded $2,500 each. Eleven teams entered the competition from universities including Columbia University, University of Florida, University of Iowa, and University of Maryland College Park.

On May 8, the finalist graduate student teams presented their final projects to a jury of practitioners. The jurors included:

Jonathon Brown, Director, Palm Beach County Housing and Economic Development
Sonia Chao, Associate Dean for Research, Director, Coastal Resilience (CoRe) Lab, Faculty Lead on Climate, Environment & Resilience, Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, University of Miami
Carol Jones-Gilbert, CEO, PBCHA
Tammy McDonald, Chief Development Officer, PBCHA
Marcus J. Williams, Director of Real Estate Development, PBCHA

The design competition is supported by sponsors from across the architecture, real estate, and finance sectors, including Bank of America, the Cooper Housing Institute, CSG Advisors, Enterprise, Merritt Community Capital Corporation, The Pacific Companies, Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments, Palm Beach County Housing Authority, Redstone Equity Partners, Related California, and US Bankcorp Impact Finance.

Media Contact:
Kirsten Greenwell, CLPHA
[email protected]

(916) 716-9088

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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 85 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org.

About the Palm Beach County Housing Authority

Located at 3333 Forest Hill Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida, PBCHA advocates for those who need housing and strives to provide Palm Beach County residents with affordable housing options, self-sufficiency programs, and leadership opportunities. The agency is committed to providing quality living environments through new and existing housing developments. To contact PBCHA, call 561-684-2160 or visit the website at pbchafl.org.

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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