Affordable housing tops 2003 legislative agenda

In session
January 2003

Affordable housing tops Catholic Charities USA's 2003 legislative agenda
Catholic Charities USA begins renewed commitment to U.S. farmworkers
Catholic Charities USA establishes 2003 legislative priorities
Urge a peaceful settlement to Iraq/Korea confrontations

Affordable housing tops
Catholic Charities USA's 2003 legislative agenda
Increasing the supply of safe and affordable housing for low-income families continues to top Catholic Charities USA's legislative priorities as it enters the new year. With a new a Congress taking office, Catholic Charities USA's Board of Trustees recently approved the organization's national legislative advocacy agenda, which supports federal policies to help lift families out of poverty.

"According to our member Catholic Charities agencies, the number one problem low-income families face is the shortage of affordable housing," said Sharon M. Daly, vice president for social policy for Catholic Charities USA. "In many communities, high rental costs are forcing more families to pay half or more of their incomes for very modest, even substandard housing. Ends can't meet when housing costs too much. Paying more than 50 percent of their income just to put a roof over their heads is squeezing working-poor families' ability to pay for health care, food, and child care."

A study from the Center for Housing Policy recently found that in just two years there has been a dramatic 30 percent rise in the number of working families that spend more than half their income on housing.

Catholic Charities USA will be working to develop legislative proposals for new ways that the federal government can provide additional resources to nonprofit religious and community-based organizations to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low and moderate income Americans.

In 2001 alone, Catholic Charities agencies provided housing counseling services to more than 21,000 people in search of affordable housing and sponsored or managed 8,449 units of permanent housing in their communities, such as single rooms, apartments, and single family residences. Ninety-six percent of the housing local Catholic Charities provided was targeted to low-income families.

Low-Income Families Facing Tough Times
Local Catholic Charities agencies and the people they serve are facing tougher times in this weakened economy. In a recent survey by Catholic Charities USA, more than half of Catholic Charities agencies reported a decrease in donation income compared to last year, and 81 percent reported experiencing an increase in families seeking emergency assistance.

An increased need—coupled with cuts in government funding and a decline in charitable donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals—has many Catholic Charities agencies concerned about their ability to meet the demand.

"These are tough times for our nation's low-income families. Congress and the Administration must step up to meet the growing needs of the working poor," said Daly. "Government's response to this problem should not be to open more soup kitchens or food pantries, but to address the issues that are keeping families in poverty: a shortage of affordable housing, especially for families with children; lack of affordable, reliable, quality child care; and the low wages and lack of benefits for so many parents."

To help lift families out of poverty, Catholic Charities USA's legislative priorities also call on the federal government to:

* Improve the TANF program to reduce child poverty; advance the employability of welfare recipients; ensure quality, affordable child care; provide adequate income for families; and support marriage and family life.

* Restore federal benefits to legal immigrants; provide due process for legal and undocumented immigrants; and help undocumented workers to adjust legal status.

* Increase access to affordable health insurance coverage for the uninsured and underinsured.

* Facilitate the increased enrollment of children in Medicaid and SCHIP.

* Preserve the Medicaid entitlement and benefits for low-income individuals.

* Adequately fund the Social Service Block Grant (SSBG).

* Reauthorize and adequately fund the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).

* Offer states incentives to improve quality of subsidized child care; help to increase access to child care for children whose parents work non-traditional hours; and improve and reauthorize Head Start.

* Guarantee health treatment and rehabilitation services to abused and neglected children in foster care and assist both public and private nonprofit agencies to improve quality of child welfare services.

* Create just and fair budget and tax policies to provide adequate resources for federal investments in housing, health care, and social services for lower-income households.

* Adequately fund the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

* Increase the resources available to faith-based and community groups that provide assistance to low-income individuals and families.

* Improve labor law, wage and hour reforms, and better enforcement of current laws for agricultural and guestworkers.

For more information:
Catholic Charities USA

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