This week the House of Representatives will vote on a COVID-19 relief bill (the American Rescue Plan Act) to help America’s lowest-income renters address rent arrears and remain housed and to bring people experiencing homelessness indoors.
The bill provides $25 billion in rental assistance including: $19.05 billion for emergency rental assistance (ERA) for low-income families experiencing a financial hardship during or due to the pandemic; $750 million for tribal families; $100 million for families living in USDA properties; and $5 billion in additional Housing Choice Vouchers.
The bill also provides $5 billion to assist people who are homeless with immediate and longer-term assistance, $9.96 billion for homeowner assistance, $100 million for housing counseling and $4.5 billion in utility assistance.
If enacted, these investments will help prevent millions of low-income people from losing their homes during the pandemic and will provide cities and states with the resources they need to safely house people experiencing homelessness during and after the pandemic.
Please contact your senators and representatives and urge them to quickly enact the American Rescue Plan Act now!
Find your representative: www.govtrack.us
View the call to action from our national partner, the National Low Income Housing Coalition: NLIHC – Take Action