The Government Shutdown Is Impacting Affordable Housing:
A letter from Larry Peterson, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Missouri.
Missouri Legislators,
As a constituent in your district and, as Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Missouri, I am an advocate for affordable housing. I am asking you to protect low-income Americans by ending the government shutdown and to pass a full year spending bill that provides strong funding for affordable housing and community development programs.
I am gravely concerned about the shutdown’s immediate and long-term impacts on these programs and the low-income people they serve. The government shutdown is stopping our community from pursing development activities that will promote local economic grown through the creation of affordable and accessible housing for low-income families, threatening to destabilize over four million households that depend on HUD’s rental assistance programs and creating widespread uncertainty for affordable housing investors.
I am also concerned about the shutdown’s impact on the housing stability of low-wage government contractors who often live paycheck to paycheck. These employees, including janitors, security guards, and cafeteria serves, are currently receiving no pay and are at risk of being unable to cover their rent, putting them at risk of eviction, if the shutdown continues.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WORKS SO HARD TO HELP.
It is essential that both the Administration and Congress understand the important role that housing and community development programs have in supporting local economies and improving the lives of low-income households across the country. Congress should act quickly to open the government and pass full-year spending bills that robustly fund affordable housing and community development programs administered by HUD and USDA.
Sincerely,
Larry Peterson – Executive Director
