On Wednesday, September 25, 2002, Senator John Edwards (D-NC) testified before the Senate Committee on Banking's Subcommittee on Housing and Transportation at its hearing entitled Affordable Housing Production and Working Families.

Click here to view Senator Edwards's testimony

The testimony of Senator Edwards focused on the Rural Rental Housing Act (S.652), legislation that he sponsored, which would create a new program to finance rental housing in rural areas for low-income individuals and families. This legislation was an initiative of the National Rural Housing Coalition (NRHC).

The National Rural Housing Coalition also submitted testimony for the record outlining the need for rural housing production, the importance of the homeownership and rental programs at the USDA's Rural Housing Service, and support for the Rural Rental Housing Act.

Click here to view NRHC's testimony

Senator Christopher Bond (R-MO) also testified on his recent bill, the Affordable Housing Expansion Act (S.2967). William Picotte, President of the Housing Assistance Council and Board member of the National Rural Housing Coalition, testified before the Subcommittee as well, describing the role that non-profit housing organizations play in producing rural housing.

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LEGISLATIVE THREAT TO RURAL RENTAL HOUSING

The Housing Affordability for America Act (H.R. 3995) included an extremely damaging amendment which would allow prepayment of all pre-1989 section 515 and 514 projects. This amendment, proposed by Representatives Bob Ney (R-NE) and Mike Ross (D-AR), would put 290,000 low-income families at risk of losing their homes. The provision will also deregulate several thousand units of housing financed for migrant and seasonal farmworkers under the Section 514 program.

See the number of units that could be lost in your state if this amendment were to take effect.

More information on the Ney-Ross Amendment and Section 515 rural rental housing.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates that over 100,000 units of housing are at risk. USDA estimates that almost 300,000 units are at risk nationally. Either way, there is little dispute that units will be lost and rural families with few other housing alternatives will be displaced.

Talking points on the Ney-Ross Amendment.

Letter to the Financial Services Committee signed by 64 organizations against the amendment.

Let us know what you think! E-mail the National Rural Housing Coalition!

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National Rural Housing Coalition
1250 Eye Street, NW, Suite 902
Washington, DC 20005
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