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 ccuestas@clpha.org.

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 gholder@clpha.org. or Cynthia Cuestas, CLPHA Legislative Assistant, at ccuestas@clpha.org.

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.

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

3.6.25

On March 10, Take Action to Protect HUD and Affordable Homes!

Join a coalition of stakeholders including CLPHA, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the Public Housing Authority Directors Association, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Housing Law Project, and more in our March 10 Day of Action to Protect HUD and Affordable Homes!

What’s happening: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s approximately 8,300 employees run affordable housing programs that serve millions of people nationwide, including children, veterans, seniors and persons with disabilities. The administration has asked HUD to cut its workforce by about half, with deep cuts in field offices nationwide and threatened reductions to programs and funding. Staff and funding cuts to an already under-resourced HUD will reduce government efficiency, increase housing instability and homelessness (especially for low-income families and individuals), and worsen an already historic national affordable housing crisis. Local communities and businesses will suffer, and property owners will lose rent revenue, which in turn could cause increased mortgage defaults and foreclosures.

What you can do: Join us on March 10, when organizations and people nationwide will take action to protect affordable housing!

Here are three things you can do:

Call your Senators and Representatives!

Ask them to stop reckless cuts of HUD staff and funding! Large and thoughtless cuts will damage communities and worsen our national affordable housing crisis. Here is more information about how to call your reprepresentatives are some talking points you can use - feel free to add your own stories!

Ask your local organizations to sign onto a letter opposing cuts to HUD staff and funding!

Join more than 500 groups nationwide and sign on.

Host a local event!

Hold a press conference with your local officials, partners and stakeholders, post about the call-in event on your social media channels, and more.

2.26.25

CLPHA and Industry Partners Call for Adjustment to HOTMA 102, 104 Compliance Date, Express Concern about HIP Implementation

CLPHA, NAHRO, PHADA, the MTW Collaborative, five major software vendors, and dozens of PHAs have sent a sign-on letter detailing concerns about the rollout of the Housing Information Portal (HIP) and requesting to defer the compliance date for Sections 102 and 104 of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). Specifically, the letter asks the incoming PIH Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Benjamin Hobbs to:

Develop a HIP migration plan in collaboration with software vendors and PHAs;
Prioritize first rolling out the Housing Information Portal (HIP) software system using the current (2020) versions of Form 50058 that do not include HOTMA income and asset changes;
Provide software vendors with the Technical Reference Guide (TRG) that includes information on new HOTMA-compliant forms as soon as possible so they can program their software;
Provide at least one full year after HIP is launched before requiring compliance with Sections 102 and 104 of HOTMA.

A total of 50 organizations signed the letter, including 5 major software vendors and dozens of PHAs. The sign-on letter was coordinated by CLPHA through the IT Working Group, an industry-wide forum of PHA IT staff, software vendors, and HUD IT personnel.

The new statutory provisions in HOTMA will require PHAs to use new versions of Form 50058 when submitting tenant-level data to HUD. The legacy PIC system cannot be modified to accommodate new HOTMA-compliant 50058 forms. HUD has opted to only program the new HOTMA-compliant 50058 forms into HIP. This means that PHAs cannot implement HOTMA Sections 102 and 104 until HUD rolls out the HIP system.

The letter asks that HUD prioritize rolling out the HIP system with the pre-HOTMA, 2020 version of Form 50058. Most major software vendors are ready to move forward with HIP using the current versions of Form 50058, and testing HIP with the new, HOTMA-compliant forms will take more time. As such, the letter also asks HUD to provide at least one full calendar year from the nationwide rollout of HIP before requiring compliance with HOTMA Sections 102 and 104.

2.26.25

CLPHA Supports Relaunch of Congressional Public Housing Caucus Led by Reps. Cleaver, Lynch, Meeks, and Torres

From Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's (D-MO) press release:

Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) announced the establishment of the Congressional Public Housing Caucus (CPHC). Co-chaired by a group of lawmakers with lived experience in public housing, the CPHC will serve as a dedicated resource for Members of Congress to help strengthen public housing nationwide.

“I am deeply alarmed by reports about the termination of hundreds of probationary HUD employees and planned cuts to the Department’s funding and workforce spearheaded by Elon Musk,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Despite public housing providing safe and stable shelter to millions of Americans nationwide, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and programs such as the Department’s public housing program are under constant assault. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, as well as a former resident of public housing, I’m proud to launch the Congressional Public Housing Caucus with my colleagues to ensure our expertise and experience living in public housing can be used as a resource to defend and strengthen these programs for American families."

“As a proud product of the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston and co-chair of the new Public Housing Caucus, I am honored to work with Ranking Member Cleaver and our other Caucus colleagues to build upon our lived experiences and advance our shared commitment to expanding and modernizing public housing on behalf of America’s working families,” said Congressman Lynch. “In the midst of an escalating housing crisis that includes a shortage of more than 7 million affordable homes for low-income families, the Trump Administration is planning to terminate 50% of jobs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development – the federal agency whose mission is to provide decent and safe public housing for low-income families, veterans, senior citizens, and people with disabilities. With the creation of this caucus, I look forward to making public and affordable housing a top priority in Congress."

“Growing up in public housing in New York, I know how essential diverse and stable housing options are for the residents of our districts,” said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks. “That is why my colleagues and I are introducing this movement to continue working to unfreeze federal funding, bolster long-term policy solutions, and uplift the needs of vulnerable voices in our districts and across the country. I’m proud to help launch the Congressional Public Housing Caucus, especially at a time when the Department of Housing and Urban Development is yet another victim of the Trump-Musk Administration’s rogue budget cuts and workforce firings. Together, we aim to create safer spaces for the millions of low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities who call public housing their home."

"As a proud product of public housing, I understand firsthand the challenges and the immense potential that come with it,” said Rep. Torres. “The creation of the Congressional Public Housing Caucus marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing fight to uplift millions of Americans who call public housing their home. Together with my fellow co-chairs, we will advocate for policies that ensure affordable, quality housing for all and work to eliminate the barriers that continue to keep too many families from achieving their full potential. Public housing is not just a roof over one’s head; it’s a foundation for building a brighter future, and I am committed to fighting for the resources and support needed to make that vision a reality."

“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to support the launch of the Congressional Public Housing Caucus led by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. The time is now for Congress to take action and invest in public housing to ensure that our most vulnerable communities have access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing. CLPHA looks forward to working with Congressman Cleaver and the Public Housing Caucus to improve the public housing stock and the quality of life for its residents,” said Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, CLPHA.

Read Rep. Cleaver's press release.

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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