Today is the day! ??Speak up for #AffordableHousing! Call your elected officials and ask them to stop reckless cuts to HUD's staff and budget. Large and thoughtless cuts will damage communities and worsen our national affordable housing crisis. #HandsOffHousing Talking points to consider sharing with your representative- 1?? HUD staff and programs are essential to local affordable housing: Affordable housing providers need a fully-staffed and resourced HUD to ensure timely payments to landlords and vendors, inspect properties, work with landlords, and more. Less staff at HUD will result in longer housing waitlists, less efficient payment and procurement, and more uncertainty for private landlords who accept tenants with vouchers. In addition, rehabilitation and modernization of public housing units will slow down, as will the work of supporting local operations and protecting residents. 2?? HUD staff and funding cuts hurt our communities: Millions of people nationwide rely on HUD programs for housing and services, and on the work of thousands of hardworking local HUD employees. Large cuts to HUD staff will result in payment delays, inspection slowdowns and jeopardize the housing of people who currently use HUD programs and those who are on waitlists. Cuts to HUD programs will result in more people experiencing housing insecurity, losing their homes and remaining on waitlists. 3?? HUD staff and funding cuts hurt local economies: Residents, local housing and community development agencies, landlords who accept Housing Choice Voucher tenants, developers, lenders, construction firms and many other business partners will be hurt by any slowdown or shutdown of HUD programs and services. In addition, thousands of HUD employees in field offices all over the country will be unemployed.
