GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — Carolina Morrow, executive director of Clay County Habitat for Humanity, joined hundreds of affordable housing advocates on Capitol Hill this week to urge Congress to expand the supply of starter homes.
The three-day event, known as Habitat on the Hill, began February 5 in Washington, D.C., to address what organizers describe as a national housing crisis.
Advocates from 48 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico are meeting with congressional leaders to discuss the loss of homeownership opportunities in rural, urban and suburban communities.
Habitat officials stated that a shortage of starter homes limits access to job markets, slows local economies and keeps millions of potential homebuyers in the rental market.
Both the House and the Senate have advanced bipartisan housing legislation recently.
The Senate is considering the ROAD to Housing Act, also known as S. 2651, while the House is reviewing the Housing for the 21st Century Act, or H.R. 6644. Advocates are calling for Congress to combine these two packages to increase the national housing supply.
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Morrow, executive director of the Clay County branch, is scheduled to meet with several officials, including Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean and Kat Cammack.
Morrow emphasized the need for legislative cooperation to solve current market challenges. “We know that solving the housing crisis requires meaningfully increasing the supply of affordable starter homes,” Morrow said. “We need bold policy action and we’re committed to partnering with lawmakers who share our desire for every family to have access to a safe, decent and attainable place to call home.”
A primary legislative priority for this year is the Homeownership Supply Accelerator. This plan is designed to provide flexible financial assistance for property acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction. The program aims to help both for-profit and non-profit developers serve homebuyers with modest incomes.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Habitat on the Hill event and the 50th anniversary of Habitat for Humanity. Over the last five decades, the organization has helped more than 65 million people build or improve their homes.
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