The Omnibus Spending Bill that was finally passed by Congress in December, and signed by the President, for FY 08 (the current fiscal year) increased funding for both tenant based rental assistance and project based rental assistance beyond what the president had initially requested. Approximately 20,000 new Section 8 housing vouchers were funded for homeless veterans, non-elderly disabled persons, and the family unification program. (Family unification vouchers are made available to families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the separation, or threat of imminent separation, of children from their families or in the prevention of reunifying the children with their families.) 

Section 8 - The Section 8 Voucher Reform Act will be a focal point of advocacy in 2008. House Bill H.R. 1851 addresses the distribution of voucher funds to administering agencies, simplification of rents, voucher portability, replacement vouchers for lost project-based assistance, project-based vouchers, fair market rents, rent burdens, inspections, the moving to work/housing innovation program and the family self-sufficiency program. The bill also authorizes 20,000 new, incremental vouchers each year for FY08 - FY12. 

Public Housing - The biggest challenge facing public housing in 2008 will be sufficient funding to operate and maintain existing public housing units. Today's public housing authorities are operating on only 85.4% of what H.U.D. knows they need to operate, according to the November 14 paper by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and their more than $20 billion backlog of capital needs is widely known. 

 McKinney-Vento Reauthorization - Bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to reauthorize McKinney-Vento homeless programs. The bills would consolidate all HUD McKinney-Vento housing programs, except Emergency Shelter Grants, into one competitive program with a broad set of eligible activities, including homelessness prevention, permanent or transitional housing for any homeless population, and supportive services. A key point of disagreement is how one is to define "homeless." Should the definition be expanded, for example, to include families living doubled or tripled up due to economic reasons? Advocates representing different consitutiencies have different answers to that question. 

Fiscal Year 09 - Funding for fiscal year 09 will most likely be even more difficult than in the current fiscal year given that it is an election year. On February 4, 2008, the president will deliver his FY09 budget request to Congress.

Advocates' work on the fiscal 09 budget will begin with seeking a higher domestic discretionary spending limit, compared to FY08, in the FY09 budget resolution. This would enable the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to allot additional funds, compared to 08, to their subcommittees, including the Transportation, HUD and Related Agencies Subcommittees.

Thanks to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (www.nlihc.org) for their regular updates on these issues.