Today’s release by the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission demonstrates how housing cuts across partisan divisions. NHC welcomes the Commission’s focus on identifying the critical housing challenges we face and proposing policy solutions to address them head-on. Housing is too critical to the safety and health of our families and children, the stability of our neighborhoods, and promise of our nation’s economic future to let politics get in the way of necessary action.
The 136-page report recommends change in many areas: rental housing, homeownership, the housing and medical needs of an aging population, rural housing and mortgage finance. It contains a wealth of information to inform discussion throughout the year and beyond, and NHC urges our members and all who care about housing policy to read it, discuss it and, by doing so, help to advance housing policy. Notable recommendations in the report include:
- Reforming mortgage finance to put more private capital bearing risk ahead of government and limiting the government role to a limited, paid-for means of assuring stability, liquidity and wider access to affordable mortgage credit.
- Expanding rental housing assistance, through production of new rental homes, preservation of existing public and private affordable rental housing and direct rental assistance to the most vulnerable.
- Strengthening rural housing assistance, by expanding the resources committed and the capacities of organizations delivering assistance.
- Helping older Americans age in place comfortably, by supporting retrofits for energy efficiency and accessibility and making federal assistance more compatible with solutions that deliver medical services in-home and locally in communities.
Let us follow the BPC Housing Commission’s example and work together toward safe, decent and affordable housing for all in America. We can and should discuss the details vigorously, but then unite to support positive change in housing policy, for we are stronger together.