Senate Appropriations Committee Reports out FY10 HUD Appropriations Bill
Capitol Hill
Memo to Members: Vol 14, No. 30, July 31, 2009
The Senate Committee on Appropriations met July 30 and reported out the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) FY10 appropriations bill. The Senate T-HUD subcommittee reported the bill to the full committee July 29. The House completed its work on the T-HUD bill July 23 (see Memo, 7/24).
At this time, complete details on the funding levels in the Senate committee bill are not available. However, from available information, it appears that generally the bill increases funding for HUD programs above both the FY09 levels and the President’s FY10 request. However, many funding levels are lower than the levels in the House-passed bill.
The Senate committee bill, which does not yet have a number, would provide more than $18.1 billion for tenant-based rental assistance, which is $1.16 billion above the FY09 level and $301 million above the President’s request. The House bill provided $18.2 billion for the program. Of the total provided by the Senate committee, $16.339 billion is for renewal of current vouchers, $75 million for 10,000 new HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers for homeless veterans and $20 million for new family unification program (FUP) vouchers. The House provided $16.387 billion for renewals and also included the $75 million appropriation for VASH vouchers, but did not set aside any funds for FUP vouchers.
Advocates continue to seek $1.6 billion for 200,000 new vouchers in FY10 and will work to have these vouchers included in the final FY10 appropriations legislation.
The Senate committee bill would provide $8.1 billion for the project-based Section 8 program. In the summary provided by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Committee states that this funding will allow for the renewal of all expiring project-based contracts for a full 12 months. The House bill would provide $8.7 billion for the program.
The Senate committee bill would provide $1.875 billion for homeless assistance grants, slightly more than the House level of $1.850 billion. Both bills provide funding at levels above the President’s request.
The Section 202 housing for the elderly program would receive $785 million under the Senate committee bill, which is an increase over the President’s request, but less than the $1 billion included in the House bill. The Section 811 housing for people with disabilities program would receive $265 million under the Senate bill, less than the $350 million provided by the House, but more than was requested by the President.
Housing opportunities for persons with AIDS (HOPWA) would receive $320 million under the Senate committee bill, less than the $350 million included by the House but more than the President’s request.
The Senate Appropriations Committee proposes to fund the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program at $3.99 billion, slightly more than the FY09 level, but less than the President’s request and the amount provided in the House bill, $4.599 billion. The HOME program would receive $1.825 billion, which is consistent with the FY09 funding level and the President’s request, but less than the $1.995 billion contained in the House bill.
The Senate committee bill would fund two of President Obama’s priorities, the Sustainable Communities Initiative and Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. As in the House, the Senate bill would provide $150 million from the CDBG program for the Sustainable Communities Initiative, to provide integrated housing and transportation planning efforts on both the regional and local level.
Unlike the House, the Senate bill would provide $250 million for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, and no funding for the HOPE VI program. While the Choice Neighborhood program has yet to be authorized and there are no details available regarding the program, the Administration describes it as an effort to expand the HOPE VI program to encompass the revitalizing of neighborhoods, not just individual properties. The House-passed bill would provide $250 million to the HOPE VI program instead of funding the Choice Neighborhoods program.
The Senate committee bill would provide $4.75 billion for the public housing operating fund, slightly less than the House’s $4.8 billion, and $2.5 billion for the public housing capital fund. The House also provided $2.5 billion for the capital fund.
Both the House and Senate would provide funds to continue the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program that began in FY08. The House would provide $64 million and the Senate $65 million.
The full Senate is expected to take up the Committee-passed bill when it returns after the August recess. Then the Senate and the House will meet in conference to come up with a final bill.
With the end of the federal fiscal year looming soon after Congress returns in September, Congress may not have time to complete work on the T-HUD FY10 appropriation legislation and other pending appropriations bills before October 1, 2009, deadline. If it cannot meet the deadline, Congress will have to pass a Continuing Resolution to provide short-term funding for any programs that have not received their regular appropriation.
NLIHC’s budget chart will be updated at http://www.nlihc.org/template/page.cfm?id=28
