Bold Action Required to Mitigate Exacerbated Housing Instability
As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the U.S. economy, the affordable housing crisis has been exacerbated substantially. With nearly 19 million U.S. households spending over half their income on a place to live and 22 million workers filing for unemployment in just a few weeks—Congress must take bold action to support vulnerable families and the nonprofits that serve them. The recently passed CARES Act included a few modest provisions that provided economic relief to struggling families. However, none of the measures seriously mitigate any challenges facing low to moderate-income households.
At Habitat for Humanity, we believe that every family deserves a stable place to call home and that no family should be forced to choose between putting food on the table or keep a roof over their heads. We also understand that affordable housing is central to building a resilient economy that works for everyone. Utilizing public policy, we can remove current barriers to the development of affordable housing and provide much needed economic opportunity for hardworking families.
Today, we are asking you to join us in telling Congress that future COVID-19 economic relief packages MUST prioritize vulnerable communities, working families, and the nonprofits that serve them—not special interest groups.
