Washington, D.C. – July 24, 2025 – David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference (NHC), released the following statement on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s passage of the FY2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill:
“The Senate Appropriations Committee’s vote of 27–1 is a refreshing example of bipartisanship. The bill is an important step in meeting the housing needs of Americans across the country who have been struggling with unaffordable housing expenses. The Senate’s proposal includes $73.3 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development—an increase over the House version. Importantly, the bill restores or increases funding for several key programs, including the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), federal rental assistance, and NeighborWorks® America, as compared to the Presidential budget request and the House THUD bill.
As stated in my recent blog and in letters to the Senate THUD Subcommittee leadership, HOME is our only federal block grant program dedicated solely to housing. It empowers local governments with the resources and flexibility to craft innovative, community-specific solutions—whether building and preserving affordable rental homes, helping families achieve homeownership with down payment assistance, or providing tenant-based rental support. It’s also a vital source of gap financing for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects, and any future growth in the Housing Credit depends on sustaining HOME.
Since 1992, HOME has enabled the construction or preservation of more than 1.35 million affordable homes, assisted over 430,000 households with rent, and helped thousands of first-time homebuyers. For every federal dollar invested, HOME attracts nearly $5 in public and private capital, unlocking over $140 billion in local income and supporting more than 2 million jobs.
NeighborWorks® America is a proven, high-impact organization that addresses the housing needs of millions of families nationwide, with a particularly strong presence in underserved rural communities, including many in traditionally Republican-leaning states. In FY2024, the NeighborWorks® America network leveraged its congressional appropriation 71:1.
The collaborative, bipartisan approach taken by the Senate in crafting this bill should serve as a model for how Congress tackles future appropriations—prioritizing shared goals and practical solutions over partisan divides. We are especially grateful to Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME), Vice Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA), THUD Subcommittee Chairwoman Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for their leadership and for recognizing the vital role that federal housing investments play in building stronger, more resilient communities.
We encourage the Senate and House to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY2026 THUD bill and look forward to working with both chambers on these important priorities.”
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About the National Housing Conference (NHC): Founded in 1931, the National Housing Conference is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America. NHC is a diverse continuum of affordable housing stakeholders who convene and collaborate through dialogue, advocacy, research, and education, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest—an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about NHC, visit www.nhc.org.