ICYMI: At Hearing with HUD Secretary, Senator Murray Highlights Urgent Need to Address Homelessness and Fund Affordable Housing – MORE HERE
Senator Murray: “Working families should be able to afford a decent home without putting more than half their income towards their rent or mortgage—and no one should ever go without a roof over their head.”
***PHOTOS OF THE ROUNDTABLE HERE***
***AUDIO OF THE ROUNDTABLE HERE***
(Olympia, WA) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), hosted a roundtable at the Housing Authority of Thurston County with local housing leaders to discuss how the American Rescue Plan has helped to deliver critical relief, prevent evictions, and put more people in safe, affordable homes. During the event, Senator Murray highlighted her continued commitment to smart, just housing policy and bold investments from the federal government in affordable housing, and—importantly—increased housing supply.
Senator Murray has expressed strong support for President Biden’s Housing Supply Action Plan and proposed fiscal year 2023 budget for federal housing programs. The proposed budget includes a total of $50 billion in new mandatory funding to boost the nation’s housing supply. The budget also requests an increase of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Trust Fund and would also raise the cap on low-income housing tax credits to make low- and moderate-income housing worth building. President Biden’s requested budget would provide the resources necessary to build 500,000 new homes.
Senator Murray was joined by Craig Chance, the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Thurston County; a local voucher recipient supported by American Rescue Plan funds; Karen McVea, Director of Rental Assistance for the Thurston County Housing Authority; and Margaret Salazar, HUD’s Regional Administrator serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska.
“Washington state is dealing with a really serious housing crisis—and while the American Rescue Plan I helped pass delivered the largest federal investment in mortgage and rental relief in our country’s history, we still need long-term solutions,” said Senator Murray. “Right now, we need more housing and we’ve got to help our communities build it—that’s why I’m pushing to boost federal funding to help states and local communities plan and develop more affordable housing. Working families should be able to afford a decent home without putting more than half their income towards their rent or mortgage—and no one should ever go without a roof over their head.”
“We are grateful for Senator Murray’s leadership,” said Craig Chance, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Thurston County. “One example is the Emergency Housing Voucher program made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act. A 62 year old neighbor, previously enduring without shelter, shared with us that before he secured permanent housing through this program he’d given up hope of having decent housing. Individual neighbors and the entire community benefit from Senator Murray’s engagement in this noble work.”
“Across Washington and throughout the Northwest we are in a housing crisis,” said Margaret Salazar, HUD Regional Administrator. “But with every family we house, we have greater inspiration and greater resolve. At HUD, we have awarded unprecedented funding through the American Recue Plan and it’s making a difference. We are grateful to Senator Murray for her continued stalwart leadership and advocacy around housing, in Washington and nationally.”
Senator Murray has been a strong advocate for housing investments, securing more than $400 million in rental assistance, $170 million in homeowner assistance, over 2,400 new Emergency Housing Vouchers, and nearly $100 million for housing and services to support people experiencing homelessness in Washington state specifically through the American Rescue Plan. These federal investments resulted in the largest eviction prevention effort in history. Earlier this year, Senator Murray also announced $143.6 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding for Washington state from the American Rescue Plan, in addition to annual federal appropriations, that would go to families with low-incomes to help with utility and energy costs during the winter. In May, Senator Murray questioned U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Marcia Fudge on the homelessness crisis and the inadequate supply of affordable housing—and reiterated her commitment to pushing for a major federal investment to tackle the national housing and homelessness crisis.
###
English 
Spanish