Communities rely on programs like HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly to serve older adults with low incomes, and yet, under the House’s bill, affordable housing communities would receive insufficient funding.  

In addition, the House bill would cut HUD public housing, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Housing Choice Vouchers and Emergency Housing Vouchers, homeless assistance grants and many more programs that serve both older adults and the aging services workforce. The result would reduce funding, halt certain housing developments and destabilize at-risk older adults and those who serve them.

The Senate can still take action to save housing assistance programs. Ask your Senators to reject the HUD funding levels proposed in the House and to commit to preserving and expanding proven and effective programs. The specific asks are:

• Expand HUD’s flagship senior housing program, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, including by funding 2,000 new homes for older adult households.
• Fully fund renewal of existing Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) contracts and Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs), including funding that keeps up with growing costs and changing needs.
• Address housing instability among older adults by funding 5,000 new Older Adult Special Purpose Vouchers for use in market-rate housing, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC)-financed communities, assisted living communities, and more.
• Support independent aging in affordable senior housing through service coordination programs in HUD-assisted housing, including support for two-year renewals of existing grants and funding for additional grant-based and budget-driven service coordinators programs.
• Continue investments in housing preservation through the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) for Section 202 PRACs.
• Fully fund the renewal of all housing assistance and supply programs, including Public Housing, Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program.
• Fully fund HUD’s homeless assistance programs, including support for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs through the Continuum of Care (CoC) funding and revival of the Emergency Housing Vouchers. 
• Restore staff capacity and ensure that HUD releases appropriated funds so the agency can effectively execute congressionally directed programs and mandates, including the effective administration of housing assistance programs for older adults and the workforce that serves them.

Thank you!