To Address Housing Crisis, Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge Appropriators to Provide Robust Funding for NeighborWorks America

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined 41 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to provide at least $185 million in funding for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America) in order to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, the Senators state that additional funding for NeighborWorks America will help create housing opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

“As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options,” wrote the Senators.

“Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes,” continued the Senators.

BACKGROUND: NeighborWorks America is a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, that helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Additionally, NeighborWorks leverages $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

This critically important program has provided funding to Nevada HAND and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada (NHSSN).

The letter was also signed by Senators Rosen (D-Nev.), Booker (D-N.J.), Smith (D-Minn.), Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Feinstein (D-Calif.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Manchin (D-W.Va.), Markey (D-Mass.), Sanders (D-Vt.), Cantwell (D-Wash.), Hirono (D-Hawaii), Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tester (D-Mont.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Reed (D-R.I.), Hassan (D-N.H.), Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Warren (D-Mass.), Peters (D-Mich.), Casey (D-Pa.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Shaheen (D-N.H.), Baldwin (D-Wis.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Carper (D-Del.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brown (D-Ohio), King (I-Maine), Warner (D-Va.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Warnock (D-Ga.), Sinema (D-Ariz.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Murphy (D-Conn.), Cardin (D-Md.), Lujan (D-N.M.), Kelly (D-Ariz.), Coons (D-Del.), and Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Chairman Schatz and Ranking Member Collins:

As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options.

As a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, NeighborWorks helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Providing consumers access to this kind of accurate, comprehensive information throughout the home-buying process can help protect our nation from another mortgage crisis. This has all come at a relatively low cost – NeighborWorks has demonstrated the ability to attract private sector investments to its affordable housing projects, leveraging $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

Additionally, as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s affordable housing crisis extend from urban centers to our rural communities, NeighborWorks’ Rural Initiative is specifically dedicated to delivering a range of services to rural communities in America that face unique challenges when it comes to creating affordable homeownership and rental opportunities. With approximately 20 percent of our nation’s population living in rural communities, NeighborWorks’ financial services, technical assistance, leadership development, and training for community-based development are critical to empowering rural homeownership and rental opportunities.

Last year, Congress passed with broad bipartisan support a Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations package, increasing Neighborworks funding by more than $7 million above the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level. Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages communities and the affordable housing crisis continues to affect an increasing number of Americans nationwide, we ask that you work with us to invest in our communities and our constituents by requesting robust funding for Neighborworks.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.