A bipartisan duo of members in the House of Representatives who largely operate with very different political positions have come together to begin what they’re calling an “initiative to gather public input” on the potential reauthorization of two federal housing programs.
Reps. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) and Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), the chairman and ranking members, respectively of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, today launched the effort with a joint video.
They want to hear from the American public about what they feel works — and doesn’t — about two particular programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) programs.
“We’re working across party lines on key issues that are important nationwide: reducing housing costs and building more housing supply,” Flood said. “We want to hear what you like about the programs, what you don’t like about the programs, and if you have any ideas to make them work better.”
Housing costs are a key reason for the collaboration between them, Cleaver added.
“Rising housing costs are a big problem, and there’s no silver bullet, but we have found a good place to start our collaboration: [HUD]’s Home Investment Partnership Program and the Community Development Block Grant programs,” Cleaver said.
Reauthorization for both programs has not happened in Congress since 1992, they explained.
“It’s well past time for them to be updated and reformed to ensure they’re meeting the housing and infrastructure challenges of the present day,” Flood said.
The feedback period is open between now and April 25, and the representatives want to hear from “municipalities, states, nonprofits and other stakeholders that interact with CDBG and HOME,” Cleaver said. His office has set up a dedicated email address to take incoming public and stakeholder feedback — FloodCleaver@mail.house.gov — that will be monitored by both representatives’ offices to take stock of the sentiment for both programs.
“After all the feedback is submitted, we will invite a select number of commenters to Washington, D.C. to discuss their ideas in person with both of us,” Flood added.
Last month, HUD announced it would will consolidate guidance from disparate notices going back to 1992 related to CDBG-related disaster recovery grants, but also incorporated recent presidential executive orders into the administration of such programs.
