Gabbard Votes in Support of Federal Housing Improvements

Representative Tulsi Gabbard voted on Tuesday in favor of a bill that would enact incremental changes at a number of federal housing programs, including public housing, the Section 8 voucher program, the Federal Housing Administration, the Rural Housing Service, and the McKinney-Vento homelessness assistance grants.

H.R. 3700, known as the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2015 passed the house unanimously by a vote of 427-0. It will now move onto the Senate for consideration.

Representative Gabbard has previously co-sponsored H.R. 1142, which would make permanent and expand the temporary minimum credit rate for the low-income housing tax credit program, as well as H.R. 3110, to increase low-income housing tax credits for individuals that have experienced a federally-declared natural disaster.

“Huge shortages of affordable housing nationwide, especially in states like Hawaiʻi, make it increasingly difficult for families with limited resources to find a safe place to live, to put food on the table, and to make basic ends meet,” said Representative Gabbard.  “One result of this is increasing numbers of homeless individuals and families.

“H.R. 3700 will improve our ability to better serve our most vulnerable populations, like the thousands of homeless veterans living on our streets today, including close to 600 in Hawaiʻi.  In addition, this legislation streamlines many of the regulations that burden families in Hawaiʻi and across the country, and it increases flexibility to empower state and local housing agencies and private owners to develop new housing units and create new housing opportunities in areas where vouchers are difficult to use.

“This housing shortage is a crisis that will require every level of government, the private sector, and community taking action towards a solution.”