Washington, DC— In an urgent effort to tackle the escalating issue of homelessness and promote affordable housing, Rep. Maxine Waters unveiled a comprehensive package of three bills on Wednesday. The proposed legislation aims to bridge the racial wealth gap while providing critical support to individuals and families struggling to secure stable housing.
The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) fully supports Rep. Waters and her comprehensive package of three bills to combat homelessness and expand affordable housing across the nation.
“We are so grateful to Congresswoman Waters for her unwavering commitment to ending homelessness in America,” says Donald Whitehead, the Executive Director of NCH.
In 2021, NCH’s Bring America Home Now (BAHN) campaign, in conjunction with Daily Kos, launched a petition to support the Ending Homeless Act of 2021-2022. This critical legislation seeks to implement effective strategies to combat homelessness and provide support to those in need. The petition has resonated with concerned individuals across the country, gathering an impressive 32,003 supporters to date. This groundswell of support highlights the pressing need for action and underscores the shared determination to address homelessness as a national priority.
Whitehead expresses his complete endorsement of the bill and recognizes the crucial recognition of the pressing requirement for housing development in our nation. He believes that the Ending Homelessness Bill represents a significant stride toward establishing “Housing as a Human Right.”
At the heart of the proposed legislation is a request for $100 billion in direct assistance to first-time home buyers. This significant investment would empower individuals and families to access affordable housing options and take their first steps toward building wealth. Additionally, the package calls for more than $150 billion to be allocated to fair and affordable housing investments. This infusion of funds would support crucial initiatives such as repairs and improvements to existing public housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and project-based rental assistance contracts to aid low-income renters.
NCH commends Representative Waters for her unwavering commitment to tackling homelessness head-on and providing viable solutions for those in need.
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NCH is a network of individuals and organizations united by a commitment to end homelessness. The organization has helped draft federal, state, and local legislation, like the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. NCH has long advocated for addressing the root causes of homelessness, including the lack of affordable housing, through policy advocacy (supporting efforts like the Bringing America Home Act), grassroots organizing (building a national movement led by unsheltered individuals), and public education (dispelling negative stereotypes and preserving civil rights of people experiencing homelessness).
To learn more about the campaign, visit the website at nationalhomeless.org/bring-amerca-home-now
