Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)
Espaillat voted against Republican committee bill limiting pathways to home ownership and affordable housing for low-income communities.
WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) denounced House Republicans’ efforts to advance their fiscal year 2027 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) funding bill out of the full committee. While Americans struggle with the high cost of living, the bill makes it more expensive for Americans to keep a roof over their heads, commute to work and school, and have a chance at homeownership.
“I have been adamant in my opposition to the House Appropriations Committee Republicans’ bill that drastically reduces our ability to make roads and highways safer and severely limits the pathways to home ownership for communities,” said Espaillat. “With declining public investments, low-income families are at risk. Today, the United States has a shortage of more than 7.2 million affordable rental homes, including in my district, and this bill will deprive many Americans of upwards 27,000 additional rental units each year. In historically disadvantaged districts like mine, there are neighborhoods where more than 30% of renters spend more than half of their income on rent.
- The Republican-backed legislation:
- Does nothing to address the rising cost of living by slashing investments in programs that expand affordable housing production and help communities fund locally driven solutions to cut red tape and eliminating eviction prevention grants that help families stay in their homes.
- Strips away opportunities for families to become homeowners or access safe, decent, affordable housing by slashing housing counseling assistance and cutting the fair housing enforcement work that protects housing choice for all Americans.
- Increases congestion on roads and hurts our economy by stalling supply chain networks, walking away from critical public-private investments that advance our transportation systems, keep our construction workers on the job, and grow American manufacturer and supplier businesses.
“For the one in seven New Yorkers who rely on the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), many face significant backlogs in capital needs updates and this Republican-backed bill does nothing to help them,” Espaillat continued. “Rather than confronting the elevated costs of living, this bill promoted by House Republicans will diminish critical programs like Section 8 vouchers, the Public Housing Capital Fund, and the HOME program. I firmly voted against this bill that would further strip basic protections for tenants and make it easier for landlords to evict families and separate mixed-status households in federally assisted housing.”
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