New Dem Housing Task Force Urges Administration to Protect Access to Housing, Block Burdensome Requirements for Low-Income Families
On Friday, a group of New Democrat Coalition Members led by Housing Task Force Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13), submitted a comment in response to a proposed rulemaking from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that would impose strict time limits and work requirements on residents who rely on federal assistance to access stable housing.
The New Dem Members argue that imposing inflexible and arbitrary time limits or work requirements would put millions of low-income families at risk of losing housing during an ongoing housing crisis that has already made access to affordable housing a challenge for hardworking Americans.
The letter reads in part:
“Federal rental assistance programs help more than 10 million people access safe, stable, and affordable housing. By putting more barriers in front of Americans who need support, we make it more likely that they will have to choose unsafe housing options or may lose housing altogether. A two-year time limit, as envisioned by HUD’s proposed rule, would put more than 3 million people, half of whom are children, at risk of eviction or homelessness.”
New Dems have worked to advance commonsense solutions to build more affordable housing and lower costs throughout the 119th Congress. The Coalition’s Affordability Agenda lays out a series of policies to cut red tape and quickly drive down the cost of housing by building four million new homes in the next ten years. The New Dem Affordability Agenda draws on the Housing Task Force’s 2025 Housing Affordability Agenda, which endorses fourteen bills led by New Dem members that aim to increase the supply of housing, expand access to financing for buyers and renters, and improve housing data and transparency to ensure resources are dedicated to the areas of highest need.
You can read the full comment letter here, and below:
To the Regulations Division, Office of General Counsel:
We, the undersigned Member of the New Democrat Coalition, submit this comment in opposition to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (“HUD”) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Establishing Flexibility for Implementation of Work Requirements and Term Limits.”
In the midst of a housing crisis, the federal government should not undermine stable housing options, particularly for low- and moderate-income families that rely on federal assistance to keep a roof over their heads. Allowing Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and owners of HUD- assisted housing to deny assistance to residents who exceed arbitrary time limits or who do not meet inflexible work requirements will destabilize families and likely result in homelessness for some. As we tackle affordability challenges in the housing market, we should not erode safety nets that keep families off the streets.
The New Democrat Coalition has long supported policies to develop more housing, providing more affordable and accessible options for Americans. Housing is one of the most fundamental economic issues that the federal government must confront in order to ensure American competitiveness and the survival of the American dream. New Dems has consistently advocated for smart solutions to make communities where everyone has access to safe, decent, affordable housing and the amenities needed to thrive.
Federal rental assistance programs help more than 10 million people access safe, stable, and affordable housing. By putting more barriers in front of Americans who need support, we make it more likely that they will have to choose unsafe housing options or may lose housing altogether. A two-year time limit, as envisioned by HUD’s proposed rule, would put more than 3 million people, half of whom are children, at risk of eviction or homelessness. To be sure, this proposal does not require adoption of these policies, but HUD’s proposed changes would allow these time and work requirements to come into being at a time where housing is difficult to reach for many. Furthermore, HUD is seeking to provide a path for states to require the adoption of time limits or burdensome work reporting requirements through this rulemaking. This would mean, for example, that PHAs in states enacting such a mandate would be forced to implement these policies without additional federal financial support.
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