Imagine a world where everyone had a place to call home – a safe, comfortable, and affordable space to rest their head at night. Unfortunately, for far too many families, that’s not the reality they face. The affordable housing crisis has been a persistent and growing problem, leaving countless individuals and communities struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

But today, my friends, I’m here to tell you that we can bridge this gap. It won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but with determination, innovation, and a whole lot of teamwork, I believe we can overcome the barriers to affordable housing and make that dream of a home for all a reality.

The Scope of the Affordable Housing Crisis

Let’s start by taking a hard look at the numbers. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, rents have skyrocketed over the past two years, with the median rent for newly leased units rising a staggering 32% between December 2017 and September 2022. That’s a huge leap, and it’s hitting families with the lowest incomes the hardest.

In fact, in 2019, a staggering 94 million households without rental assistance were paying more than 50% of their income on rent or living in severely inadequate housing. And that’s not even counting the nearly 600,000 people who experience homelessness on any given night or the millions more who are living in unstable, “doubled-up” situations.

The cold, hard truth is that the gap between what families can afford and the actual cost of housing has grown far too wide. It’s a problem that’s been brewing for years, and it’s time we rolled up our sleeves and tackled it head-on.

Tackling the Affordability Gap

So, where do we start? Well, the HUD Pro-Housing Grant Program could be a game-changer. This initiative is designed to provide funding for the development and preservation of affordable housing, which is exactly what we need to start closing that affordability gap.

But it’s not just about building new units – we also need to focus on preserving the existing affordable housing stock. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about 6% of the federally assisted privately-owned housing stock is set to lose its affordability restrictions by 2025. That means we could be facing the loss of a whopping 176,000 affordable units unless we take action.

One way to prevent this loss is by incentivizing LIHTC property owners to keep their developments affordable once their initial contract term ends. And we can also look to tools like the Rental Assistance Demonstration program to help redevelop and revitalize existing public housing properties.

Expanding Rental Assistance

But building and preserving affordable units is only half the battle. We also need to make sure families can actually afford to live in them. That’s where rental assistance comes in.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities points out that the federal government’s Housing Choice Voucher program is a powerful tool in the fight for affordable housing. These vouchers help families pay for private rental housing, with the tenant typically contributing no more than 30% of their income towards rent.

The House-passed Transportation-Housing and Urban Development funding bill includes a whopping $11 billion to expand this program, which could help an additional 100,000 to 140,000 families afford safe, stable homes. And you know what they say – a rising tide lifts all boats. By helping these families, we could see ripple effects that benefit the entire housing market.

But we can’t stop there. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities suggests, lawmakers should enact major additional rental assistance expansions with the goal of making help available to everyone who is eligible. After all, currently, only 1 in 4 households who are likely eligible for federal rental assistance actually receive it. That’s a tragic statistic, and one we need to change.

Harnessing the Power of Public-Private Partnerships

Of course, tackling this crisis is going to take more than just government action. That’s why I’m excited about the potential of public-private partnerships to drive real, lasting change.

Take the work of EducationSuperHighway, for example. They’re partnering with non-profits, community organizations, internet service providers, and state and local governments to develop innovative solutions for increasing broadband adoption and eliminating the need for households to sign up for service altogether.

The key is to remove the barriers that are keeping low-income families from getting connected. Things like lack of awareness, trust issues, and complicated sign-up processes are just a few of the hurdles we need to overcome. By working together, we can ensure that no home is left offline and that every family has access to the high-quality, affordable internet they need to thrive.

A Brighter Future Ahead

Friends, I know the affordable housing crisis can feel overwhelming, but I truly believe that if we come together and put our heads and hearts into this, we can make real progress. It won’t be easy, but with determination, creativity, and a steadfast commitment to leaving no one behind, I’m confident we can bridge the gap and make that dream of a home for all a reality.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. Visit HACC Housing’s website to learn more about how you can get involved and be a part of the solution. Together, we can build a future where everyone has a safe, comfortable, and affordable place to call home.