Congressman Al Green Fights for Fair Housing and Down-Payment Assistance
(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09), yesterday, offered two amendments to the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill. This transportation and housing bill provides funding to keep our transportation system safe and strong, and to address our nation’s affordable housing needs. The Fair Housing Act of 1960 prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, familial status, race, color, gender, or nationality.
Congressman Al Green’s first amendment, the Green Fair Housing Amendment, would increase funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Fair Housing Initiative’s Program by $5.82 million to the program’s $26 million authorized level.
"For many Americans the dream of owning a home is cut short by the almost 4 million fair housing violations. Fair housing education and enforcement play a pivotal role in fighting this housing discrimination and increasing homeownership,” Congressman Al Green said. “The Federal Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) provides grants to nonprofits to provide education and outreach to real estate companies, agents and landlords about fair housing compliance and as well as to consumers about their rights under the law. FHIP also funds enforcement efforts so that fair housing agencies can conduct investigations and test complaints of housing discrimination. Testing is a means to study housing discrimination. Testing refers to the use of individuals who, without any intent to rent or purchase a home or apartment, pose as prospective buyers or renters of real estate for the purpose of gathering information, which may indicate whether a housing provider is complying with fair housing laws. Increasing funding for this effort will allow fair housing organizations to better assist more individuals, the housing industry and communities in forming neighborhoods free from discrimination."
Upon assurance from Chairman Olver that these issues would be addressed in conference, Congressman Al Green withdrew his amendment.
Congressman Al Green’s second amendment, the Miller-Waters-Green Down-Payment Assistance Amendment, would protect the use of down-payment assistance programs used in conjunction with FHA-insured mortgages. This amendment passed the house by voice vote to become part of the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill.
“Since the creation of privately-funded down-payment assistance programs, the dream of homeownership has been extended to close to one million families. In my district alone, these programs have helped 600 families buy a home,” Congressman Al Green said. “Because equity can provide homeowners with options to pursue important achievements (i.e., education, small business development) and navigate life’s difficulties, down-payment assistance has increased economic opportunities for families. While privately-funded down-payment assistance programs are not perfect, down-payment assistance providers have attempted to work with HUD to improve the program. Instead of working with the industry, HUD’s only response has been silence and a proposed rule to eliminate a program that has extended opportunity for so many. Before we end a program that has helped countless families, let us try to find a way to mend it so that it can continue to benefit families and support HUD and FHA in their mission of bringing homeownership to the underserved.”