Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, released the following statement on her legislative housing package. 

“Our nation is in the midst of a housing crisis, which has been decades in the making. Due to a consistent lack of investment in affordable housing under Democratic and Republican administrations, we now find ourselves at a crossroads. To this day, more than 580,000 people are experiencing homelessness, 10.5 million households are paying more than 50 percent of their income on rent, and more than 20 million mortgage-ready individuals are unable to realize their dream of homeownership. Without a stable home, children cannot thrive; without a stable home, families are forced to choose between a roof over their head and a meal; and without a stable home, many people lack the foundation necessary to plan for the future.

“Now, for the first time in a generation, we have a real opportunity to fix these deep-rooted issues in our housing system. We can end homelessness. We can make rental housing affordable. We can provide the American dream of homeownership. We can do all of this by finally making the investments that we have postponed, diminished, or denied for years. The reconciliation bill provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide the housing resources that our country so desperately needs.

“For these reasons, I am introducing legislation that ends homelessness, supports first-generation homebuyers in purchasing their first home, and ensures that housing is infrastructure. Now is the time to finally make housing a top priority and these bills do just that. This historic investment should be included in budget reconciliation as it will change housing as we know it for the better. We’ve waited long enough for housing to be a priority. The time to act is now.”

The legislative housing package led by Congresswoman Maxine Waters includes:

• The Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021 would provide a historic investment of over $600 billion in equitable, affordable, and accessible housing infrastructure. This generational investment would address our national eviction and homelessness crises, increase access to homeownership, and support a robust recovery from the pandemic by creating jobs, addressing climate change, and improving housing stability for struggling households. Click here for bill text. 
  
  
• The Ending Homelessness Act of 2021 would end homelessness and significantly reduce poverty in America by transforming the Housing Choice Voucher program into a federal entitlement, so that every household who qualifies for assistance would receive it. The lead cosponsors of this bill are Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY). Click here for bill text. 
  
  
• The Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 would help address the U.S. racial wealth and homeownership gaps by providing $100 billion toward downpayment and other financial assistance for first-generation homebuyers to purchase their first home. The lead cosponsors of this bill are Representative Al Green (D-TX), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Representative Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA), and Representative Sylvia Garcia (D-TX). Click here for bill text. 
  

See below for legislative fact sheets. 

Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021

The Ending Homelessness Act of 2021

The Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021

Click here for official statements from organizations in support of this legislative housing package. 

The Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021 is supported by the following national groups: National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Fair Housing Alliance, Up for Growth Action, National Women’s Law Center, National Housing Conference, National Education Association, Catholic Charities USA, Habitat for Humanity International, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Counties, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, PolicyLink, Arc of the United States, Mayors and CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment, UnidosUS, Housing Assistance Council, ADAPT, National Association of Social Workers, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Housing Law Project, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, LeadingAge, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Hispanic Federation, National Association for County Community and Economic Development, Grounded Solutions Network, National Community Development Association, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Enterprise Community Partners, National Housing Trust, Fahe, Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force, Low Income Investment Fund, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Church World Services, Coalition on Human Needs, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders, National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, National Housing Resource Center, National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), RESULTS, Public Citizen, Prosperity Now, National Organization for Women, Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV/AIDS, National Housing & Rehabilitation Association, National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National Coalition for Housing Justice, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, Funders Together to End Homelessness, Consumer Action, Collaborative Solutions Inc., Coalition of Labor Union Women AFL-CIO, American Muslim Health Professionals, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, Jewish Women International, HerStory Ensemble, African American Health Alliance, Americans for Financial Reform, Community Solutions, Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, Food Research & Action Center, National Alliance of HUD Tenants, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, National Homelessness Law Center, National Council of Jewish Women, Center for Disability Rights, Justice in Aging, National Coalition for the Homeless, National Disability Rights Network, National Council for Independent Living, Treatment Communities of America, Center for Community Progress, Asian Real Estate Association of America, American Association of Service Coordinators, Community Change Action, National Coalition for Latinx with Disabilities, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, National WIC Association, Partnership for the Homeless, Unitarian Universalist for Social Justice, National Innovation Service, National Association of Statewide Independent Living Councils Inc., CommonSpirit Health, ICNA Council for Social Justice, Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals

The Ending Homelessness Act of 2021 is supported by the following national groups: National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Catholic Charities USA, Children’s Defense Fund, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, National Women’s Law Center, National Leased Housing Association, National Housing Law Project, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Arc of the United States, National Coalition for the Homeless, National Partnership for Women and Families, Housing Assistance Council, Center for Disability Rights, True Colors United, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Manufactured Home Owners Association, Food Research & Action Center, Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force, Church World Service, Center for Law and Social Policy, Coalition on Human Needs, LeadingAge, Grounded Solutions Network, PolicyLink, RESULTS, Funders Together to End Homelessness, Hispanic Federation, Union for Reform Judaism, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Low Income Investment Fund, Steward of Affordable Housing for the Future, National Association of County Community and Economic Development, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, Hunger Free America, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National Homelessness Law Center, National Community Development Association, National Housing and Rehabilitation Association, National Housing Resource Center, National Housing Trust, National Innovation Service, National Resource Center for Domestic Violence, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research, ZERO TO THREE, Youth Collaboratory, Treatment Communities of America, National Council for Independent Living, National Coalition for Latinx with Disabilities, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, Justice in Aging, Jewish Women International, HerStory Ensemble, Hearth Inc., Consumer Action, Affordable Homeownership Foundation Inc, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Center for American Progress, Coalition of Labor Union Women AFL-CIO, Community Solutions, National Alliance of HUD Tenants, Public Citizen, Center for Community Progress, National Association of Social Workers, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders, National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, National Coalition for Housing Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, National Disability Rights Network, National Organization for Women, National WIC Association, Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV/AIDS, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Prosperity Now, Unitarian Universalist for Social Justice, Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals, Operation Restoration, Collaborative Solutions, CommonSpirit Health, ICNA Council for Social Justice, American Association of Service Coordinators, African American Health Alliance

The Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 is supported by the following national groups: National Housing Conference, National Fair Housing Alliance, Center for Responsible Lending, National Urban League, National Housing Resource Center, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, National Council of State Housing Agencies, National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), PolicyLink, UnidosUS, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Prosperity Now, ROC USA, Grounded Solutions Network, Center for Community Progress, RESULTS, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), Asian Real Estate Association of America, RESULTS, ROC USA, Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals, National Community Stabilization Trust, Homeownership Alliance, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders, Habitat for Humanity International.

On June 9, 2021, Chairwoman Waters convened a full Committee virtual hearing entitled, “Universal Vouchers: Ending Homelessness and Expanding Economic Opportunity in America.”

On April 14, 2021, Chairwoman Waters convened a virtual Full Committee hearing entitled, “Build Back Better: Investing in Equitable and Affordable Housing Infrastructure.”

On April 26, 2021, Chairwoman Waters applauded HUD’s Withdrawal of Trump Administration Rule that Weakened Fair Housing Protections for LGBTQ+ Community.

On March 10, 2021, Chairwoman Waters applauded Marcia Fudge’s confirmation as HUD Secretary.

On March 10, 2021, Chairwoman Waters convened a full Committee virtual hearing entitled, “Justice for All: Achieving Racial Equity Through Fair Access to Housing and Financial Services.”

On January 27, 2021, Chairwoman Waters applauded President Biden’s Memorandum on Redressing Our Nation’s and the Federal Government’s History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies.

On December 4, 2020, Chairwoman Waters provided recommendations to then President-Elect Biden on Trump actions to reverse.

In April of 2019, the Committee convened a hearing entitled “Housing in America: Assessing the Infrastructure Needs of America’s Housing Stock,” where Chairwoman Waters called for infrastructure investments to include robust funding for housing.

In November of 2019, Chairwoman Waters introduced her legislation, the Housing is Infrastructure Act (H.R. 5187).

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