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[Page H7382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS HURTS ECONOMIC GROWTH
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for 5 minutes.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Oregon, like much of the
country, is facing a housing affordability crisis that is hurting
families and the economy.
I recently held six listening sessions in the district I represent.
In every community--urban, suburban, and rural--I heard from
individuals, employers, local officials, and nonprofits that told me
the lack of affordable housing is having serious consequences around
northwest Oregon.
Over the last several years, housing costs have gone up
significantly, but wages have not. Available housing stock has not kept
up with demand, driving prices higher and higher. Much of the new
housing that is being built is unaffordable for middle- and low-income
households.
To afford a modest one-bedroom unit at fair market rent, someone
earning minimum wage in Yamhill County, Oregon, for example, would need
to work 65 hours a week. In Multnomah County, someone would need to
work 81 hours a week to pay for a modest one-bedroom apartment--81
hours a week.
Housing is foundational. It forms the bedrock of a family's stability
and security, and it is vital to each person's full participation in
society.
The toll of this crisis on families and communities is devastating,
and it is also hampering economic growth. I heard time and again from
employers who are struggling to attract workers in areas where housing
was unaffordable or unavailable, employees commuting long hours because
they cannot afford to live closer to their jobs.
In Columbia County, for example, I heard how the lack of affordable
housing for just one individual negatively affected the whole
community. The county government recruited a highly qualified new
finance director from another State, only to have that person struggle
to find a permanent place to live. After staying in an RV for 4 months,
she finally had to quit in the middle of budget season because she
could not find a place to live.
Federal policies and resources are a vital part of addressing this
true national crisis. Unfortunately, Federal support for cost-burdened
individuals and families is severely insufficient and declining.
According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy, more than one-third
of Oregon households are cost-burdened. That is 530,000 households
spending more than 30 percent of their income on shelter, with some
spending more than half of their income for a place to live.
Despite that tremendous need, only one out of every five eligible
families receives any Federal housing assistance. Wait lists at public
housing authorities often stretch into years.
At the Federal level, we have many tools to help address these
problems: tax incentives, voucher programs, public housing, and grants
that empower nonprofits and communities that implement local
strategies. But the resources Congress provides are woefully
insufficient.
We need to do much more if we honestly want to make sure that every
person in our communities has the dignity and stability of a roof over
their head.
Mr. Speaker, this crisis is why I support transformative legislation
like the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act. It would invest
$445 billion to create 3 million deeply affordable homes and cut rental
costs by 10 percent.
I also strongly support the Ending Homelessness Act to
comprehensively address chronic homelessness by providing a surge of
resources that will drastically expand access to housing and case
management that integrates healthcare and other supportive services.
Our communities are better and families will thrive when everyone has a
home.
Ultimately, any solution will require a determined and coordinated
effort by all stakeholders, including community activists, developers,
lenders, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials at every level of
government.
Congress must step up and be part of the solution. I ask my
colleagues to join me today in committing to bold action to address the
housing affordability crisis in Oregon and across the country.
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