This week, the National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), honored Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, with the 2024 Policy Champion Award during their 50th anniversary celebration. During the celebration, NLIHC acknowledged Congresswoman Waters’ unwavering work and dedication in Congress to advance equity, justice, and advocate for the housing needs of underserved and underrepresented communities.

Throughout her tenure, Congresswoman Waters has led the charge in addressing the nation's affordable housing and homelessness crisis. Her leadership has been pivotal in driving equitable initiatives to bolster housing supply and community development initiatives, enhance affordability, eradicate homelessness, and reignite the dream of homeownership, both nationally and in California’s 43rd Congressional District. A few examples include:

• During the height of the pandemic, Congresswoman Waters and Committee Democrats secured unprecedented eviction and foreclosure moratoria, as well as nearly $68 billion in critical housing relief through packages like the American Rescue Plan Act, which helped offset a wave of evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness.
  
  • This assistance has helped keep over 12 million people stably housed and has helped house or serve nearly 3 million people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
    
    
• Last Congress, Congresswoman Waters worked closely with President Biden to secure over $150 billion in fair and affordable housing investments in the House-passed Build Back Better Act last Congress.
  
  
• While the Build Back Better Act did not pass the Senate, Democrats secured significant housing resources for Fiscal Year 2023, including $25 million for new Housing Choice Vouchers, as well as historic levels of funding to help end homelessness.
  

During the NLIHC event, Congresswoman Waters uplifted housing as the number one domestic issue and emphasized the urgent need for Congress to pass her groundbreaking housing package to address the worsening crisis. This includes:

• HR 4233, the “Housing Crisis Response Act,” which represents the housing investments that were previously included in Build Back Better Act. This bill would invest more than $150 billion in fair and affordable housing investments to create nearly 1.4 million affordable and accessible homes, reduce housing costs for all, and help address stubborn core inflation;
  
  
• HR 4232, the “Ending Homelessness Act,” which would end homelessness and significantly reduce poverty by transforming the Housing Choice Voucher program into a federal entitlement, so that every household who qualifies for assistance receives it. The bill would also prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income and veteran status; and
  
  
• HR 4231, the “Downpayment Toward Equity Act,” which would help revive the dream of homeownership for all by providing $100 billion in direct assistance to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers cover downpayments, closing costs, and buydown mortgage interest rates.
  

Together, these bills represent the single largest and most comprehensive investment in fair and affordable housing in U.S. history to reverse decades of disinvestment and finally prioritize housing for all.

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