United States Appropriations Committee Releases 2020 Affordable Housing Funding Bill

The House Appropriations Committee released its annual funding bill for affordable housing programs, increasing funding levels by $6 billion from fiscal year 2019. The Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Subcommittee approved the bill by a voice vote and it will now proceed to the House floor for a final vote, before moving to the Senate, and ultimately the President’s desk.

Congress must still address one critical issues before the appropriations bill can be finalized: lifting budget caps. In April, House Democrats proposed a bill to lift the caps by $361 billion for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, but the bill was pulled from consideration after some Democrats voiced concerns and requested increased funding. The appropriations bill currently under consideration in the House is moving forward because of a “deeming resolution” that permits the appropriations committee to assume certain funding levels and begin work on an annual spending bill. It is reasonable to assume the Republican controlled Senate will be interested in lowering that “top-line” number, as will the President, who proposed funding affordable housing programs about $17 billion below what House Democrats are moving forward.

Click here to read the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s full breakdown of the T-HUD Appropriations bill.