Support a National Housing Trust Fund

Dear Senator,

The affordable housing crisis in America is reaching a dangerous tipping point. It shouldn't be so difficult for working families to find a decent place to live without jeopardizing their economic security.

The housing crisis is one of quality as well as quantity - millions of Americans have no choice but to stay in dilapidated and inadequate housing. And children account for one out of every three people living in severely substandard housing, where they are more likely to suffer from asthma or lead poisoning, which can lead to learning disorders, reading difficulties and more.

One clear solution is a National Housing Trust Fund. These trust funds already exist on the local level, in more than 170 areas nationwide, where they generate more than $1.6 billion a year to support critical housing needs, offer low-interest loans and provide grants to affordable housing developers like Habitat for Humanity.

I hope you will support and actively push for a national housing trust fund that would:

* Be targeted to low-income households;
* Be flexible enough to meet local needs with both rental and ownership units;
* Be crafted to ensure compatibility with other federal housing programs; and
* Encourage responsible efficiency standards and green building principles.

A national housing trust fund would also provide a shot in the arm to a national economy that surely needs it. According to the U.S Department of Commerce, an investment of $5 billion in the nation’s housing infrastructure would help generate nearly 200,000 jobs.

Housing trust funds work. They strengthen families, revitalize communities, create jobs, increase the tax base, and help more people realize the American Dream. The housing crisis is a national problem that demands a national response.

I hope you will make the support of a National Housing Trust Fund a top legislative priority.