Contact U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) to urge her to support much needed changes in the way the Housing Choice Voucher program works.
Project-based
vouchers are often the only tool available in some areas to create long-term
affordable housing for low-income families. Because project-based vouchers stay
with the unit, they ensure that a specific home stays affordable for years,
helping a town or local housing authority preserve much-needed stable affordable
housing. They are the perfect complement to the tenant-based, mobile subsidies
provided by the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Congress is currently discussing the need to reform the legislation that
governs the housing voucher program. The Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA) of
2007 proposes a number of improvements, including a much-needed, improved funding formula.
This is a key opportunity to introduce a number of changes in the project-based
voucher legislation. These include:
- Allowing
housing authorities to project-base up to 25 percent of voucher
funds.
- Changing
the maximum initial contract between a housing authority and a landlord or
developer from 10 to 15 years to
ensure longer-term affordability.
- Allowing
a wider variety of developments to be eligible for funds
- Add
exceptions to the “no more than 25 percent of project-based vouchers per
development” rule for small projects (with 25 units or fewer) and projects in
areas where vouchers are difficult to use
- Allowing
project-based vouchers to be used in co-ops and elevator
buildings.
- Clarifying
that expiring project-based contracts can be converted to new project-based
contracts to avoid losing any of the shrinking affordable housing
stock.
- Making
financing for these projects easier by streamlining the review process for
developers.
- Allowing
owners and housing authorities to create their own, customized rental
contracts.
- Permitting
owner-managed, site-based waiting lists.
- Authorizing
project-based vouchers instead of enhanced vouchers —which are provided to
protect existing tenants from displacement for reasons out of their control—
to protect the displaced tenant while guaranteeing long-term affordability for
the unit .
The Metropolitan Planning Council has joined multiple
organizations from around the country to support SEVRA (H.R. 5443) and the above
changes as necessary tools to preserve and grow affordable housing options.
Please urge U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), ranking member of the House
Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, or your
own congressional representative to support the amendments proposed for
this new legislation and the specific changes affecting the Project-Based
Voucher program.
You can contact Rep. Biggert by phone at
(202) 225-3515 or by visiting the Judy Biggert Web site.
Download a draft of
the SEVRA bill or more information on the specific changes to the Project-Based Voucher program proposed in
the SEVRA legislation.