Legislators push for more affordable housing with new bill
U.S. senators introduce a bill to expand the Housing Choice Voucher program and honor the legacy of affordable housing advocate Herschel Lashkowitz.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Choice in Affordable Housing Act to address challenges in the Housing Choice Voucher program, also known as Section 8. The bill seeks to expand the program amid declining participation from landlords, making it harder for renters to find affordable housing. U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05) and Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) introduced the legislation in the House.
The bill includes provisions to raise funding for the Tribal Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, to use neighborhood-specific data to set rents fairly, and to reduce inspection delays.
The bill’s authors acknowledge that rising housing costs are making it difficult for millions of renters to find affordable housing. “The success of the Housing Choice Voucher program is contingent on landlords providing adequate housing options,” said Cramer. “This bill boosts the supply of options for renters to use their vouchers.”
The legislation has received endorsements from numerous housing advocacy groups, including the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity International, and the National Affordable Housing Management Association, among others.
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