July 12, 2017
The Honorable Susan Collins
Chair
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Jack Reed
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairwoman Collins and Ranking Member Reed:
As you begin work on the Fiscal Year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, we urge adequate funding for programs that serve poor and vulnerable households struggling to make ends meet. Increasing costs for housing have disproportionately impacted poorer Americans.
In The Right to a Decent Home, the Catholic Bishops of the United States noted, "Since decent housing is a human right, its provision involves a public responsibility. . . . Government must supplement and regulate the activities of private individuals and institutions in order to achieve our housing goals. A creative partnership of private enterprise and government is necessary" (no. 75). The Catholic Church, inclusive of all its ministries, is one of the largest private providers of housing services for the poor and vulnerable in the country. We serve as many as we can, yet lack the resources to assist all of our brothers and sisters in need. The reality is that we cannot do it alone, and in many cases government at every level is an important partner in our work.
Catholic Charities agencies provide housing services to over 450,000 people, including 31,000 permanent housing units and over 100,000 rental payments to keep clients in their homes. Despite these efforts, over 70 Catholic Charities agencies across the country continue to have waiting lists for housing. Indeed, over half of renters below the poverty line spend more than half of their income on housing. In response to such widespread unmet need, HUD programs need more resources, not less.
Unfortunately, housing and community development programs continue to be underfunded and are unable to meet the growing demand for affordable housing. An increase to the HUD budget is urged to provide robust funding for the following programs:
In addition to the above programs, increased support for the Section 4 Capacity Development Block Grant, Housing for People with AIDS (HOPWA) and with Disabilities (Section 811), and Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) is necessary in order to continue to serve poor and vulnerable families across our country.
As you know, the effectiveness of federal housing programs has been hampered in recent budget and deficit agreements. While Congress still faces serious challenges in balancing needs and resources, and allocating burdens and sacrifices, these programs that help to satisfy the basic human right to shelter should receive special attention.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Frank J Dewane
Chairman
Committee on Domestic Justice
and Human Development
Sr. Donna Markham OP, PhD
President and CEO
Catholic Charities USA
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