Advocating for more Affordable Housing in Washington DC with the California Housing Consortium
There are a lot of hot topics in DC right now, the most
important to us? Affordable Housing, and
the continued financial support of the federal government. There are many advocating and working to make
sure our US Congress will continue to protect, strengthen and expand the
low-income housing tax credit program.
*To break it down: the low-income housing tax credits are
given out by the government. They give a
certain amount of the tax credits to affordable housing developments. These tax credits are then bought by the big
banks to write off taxes. In doing so,
they fund affordable housing. The
government is currently weighing the value of the tax credits which could hurt
affordable housing (specifically, the banks will NOT need the tax cuts
anymore- therefore vital funding for affordable housing is kaput)
The Housing Credit is our nation’s most successful tool for
encouraging private investment in the production and preservation of affordable
rental housing. The Housing Credit has financed nearly 3 million apartments
since 1986, which have provided roughly 6.7 million low-income families,
seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities homes they can afford. It has
provided affordable housing to all 50 states and all types of communities,
including urban, suburban, and rural.
One of these advocating groups is the California Housing Consortium. A collected authority of California’s leaders
in the affordable housing industry, the CHC has been active since 1997. The organization recently celebrated their
annual “lobby days” event in Washington DC.
A prime time to be in the political capital, CHC is active in raising
awareness of the LIHTC program, its importance, necessity, and the devastation
canceling the program would cause.
The Housing Credit is our nation’s most successful tool for
encouraging private investment in the production and preservation of affordable
rental housing. The Housing Credit has financed nearly 3 million apartments
since 1986, which have provided roughly 6.7 million low-income families,
seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities homes they can afford. It has
provided affordable housing to all 50 states and all types of communities,
including urban, suburban, and rural.
At a time when nearly 11 million Americans are strapped to
pay rent each month, join us and advocate groups like the California Housing
Consortium in urging congress to support the LIHTC program.
Pictured above: CHC annual lobby days in Washington DC.
Photos include: Jim
Silverwood, Marina Wiant, Elizabeth Bluhm, Sheela Jiuan, Michael Gaber, Rebecca
Clark, Jonathan Klein, Ray Pearl, and Richard Shea
