NAHMA Grassroots Advocacy
This page is dedicated to providing members current grassroots advocacy action campaigns. Current topics and opportunities for participation are listed below, and these will be updated as new issues arise.
Urgent Grassroots Issues
NAHMA has learned that a possible upcoming show or series apparently focused on the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program may air on PBS and / or NPR, starting on May 9.
Based on an industry letter that is being widely circulated this week (see attached), the show may be quite negative in its portrayal of the LIHTC program. (NAHMA was not approached by the show’s producers as a source during their development of the program, which apparently focuses primarily on syndication / development aspects of the LIHTC, as noted in the attached letter.)
We are encouraging NAHMA members with tax credit properties to be prepared to share with local media, or with their elected officials at all levels of government, the many positive contributions that these properties make in the lives of their residents, as well as to their surrounding communities.
Please contact NAHMA Director of Government Affairs, Larry Keys, Jr., if we can be assistance in your grassroots efforts.
Ask Lawmakers to Help Preserve Vital Funding for Affordable Housing
Ask Lawmakers to Help Preserve Vital Funding for Affordable Housing
Congress needs to hear from you. Take the time to advocate for the issues that are important to you.
Advocate for full funding of affordable housing programs
Current federal funding is set to run out on April 28, and Congress will need to pass another spending bill when they return from Recess to keep the government operating. Beginning today, Representatives and Senators will be home in their districts from April 10 to April 24 for a district work period, also called the April Recess. The April Recess is an important opportunity to highlight the importance of affordable housing programs to lawmakers in their districts. Now is a great time to contact your legislators to advocate renewing vital rental assistance programs at appropriate funding levels for the remaining fiscal year (FY17). Members can access the NAHMA Grassroots Action Toolkit to learn how to contact their lawmakers. NAHMA recommends members advocate for the following:
TELL CONGRESS: Pass Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Funding Bills for HUD Affordable Housing Programs to avoid the negative impacts of another Continuing Resolution or Government Shutdown.
The following are funding levels needed to renew key housing programs:
- Project-Based Rental Assistance: Fund the PBRA program at $11 billion
- Housing Choice Vouchers: Fund the HCV program at $21 billion
- HOME Program: Fund HOME at $950 million
- Elderly Housing: Fund Section 202 at $505 million
- Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities: Fund Section 811 at $154 million
- Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) – Fund RAD at $4 million, include proposals to facilitate additional conversions of HUD-assisted properties:
- Increases the current unit cap on Public Housing conversions to 250,000;
- Eliminates the deadline of September 30, 2018, for submission of RAD applications;
- Enables Section 202 PRAC properties to convert to Section 8 contracts;
- Promotes the preservation of multifamily properties in high-cost areas;
TELL CONGRESS: Pass Funding Bills for USDA Rural Housing Programs to avoid the negative impacts of another Continuing Resolution or Government Shutdown.
The following are funding levels needed to renew key housing programs:
- Section 521: Renew Rural Rental Assistance contracts at $1.4 billion for FY17
- Section 515: Fund the Multifamily Mortgage Program at $33 million
- Revitalization: Fund Multifamily Revitalization Program and Rural Housing Vouchers at $37 million
Save and Expand the Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Tax reform is underway in Congress, and while NAHMA supports LIHTC expansion, this is the time to advocate for LIHTC preservation. Help keep the LIHTC off the chopping block by calling or writing to your legislators about its value for our industry and for our communities.
TELL CONGRESS: Preserve the LIHTC during tax reform
- LIHTC (Housing Credit) is our nation’s most successful tool for encouraging private investment in the production and preservation of affordable rental housing.
- Nearly all affordable rental homes developed each year in the United States rely on the Housing Credit. It has financed nearly 3 million apartments since 1986, providing roughly 6.5 million low-income households with homes they can afford.
- For 30 years, the Housing Credit has been a model public-private partnership program, bringing to bear more than $100 billion in private sector resources, market forces, and state-level administration.
- For Legislators: Please contact your legislators to let them know that the LIHTC is critical for both industry and the communities they represent. Ask legislators to support LIHTC by joining sign-on letters for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (H.R. 1661 and S. 548)
Strengthen your Relationship with Congress
To show Congressional members the value of quality, affordable housing in their States and Districts, invite them for a property site visit.
INVITE CONGRESS: Host a site visit
- Property Visit: A site visit at one of your properties provides your legislator with a real-world look at how affordable housing benefits low-income individuals and families.
- Resident Involvement: Give your legislator the opportunity to meet the individuals (and voters) served by housing assistance.
VISIT CONGRESS: Schedule a Hill visit
- Afternoon on the Hill: Schedule a brief sit-down in D.C. to discuss housing issues or drop in to ‘constituent coffee’ hosted by the Senators and Representatives for your State or District.
NAHMA is here to help.
Need help contacting Congress?
If you have questions about policy issues or the legislative process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to NAHMA’s Government Relations team.
Want to look up your Legislator?
We encourage you to use the NAHMA Maps program to help educate your representatives about affordable housing in their Districts and States.
Help us keep track of Congressional Outreach!
Your outreach matters. Take a brief moment to tell us about your efforts.
For information on contacting your Congressional Representatives please visit:
- Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
- U.S. House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Please note that participating in a NAHMA request for communication with your Congressional representatives will not cause you to be considered a Lobbyist under federal guidelines. The definition for Lobbyist under federal guidelines is as follows, and all three conditions must be met:
Lobbyist: Any individual (1) who is either employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation (2) whose services include more than one lobbying contact; and (3) whose “lobbying activities” constitute 20 percent or more of his or her services on behalf of that client during any three month period.
To learn more about federal guidelines in lobbying and the role of the AHMAs in the advocacy process, please read this report:
NAHMA Grassroots Advocacy: AHMA 501(c)3 Organizations and Their Role in Advocacy
