House Financial Services Subcommittee Issues Testimony From National Low Income Housing Coalition President Yentel (Part 2 of 2)
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(Continued from Part 1 of 2)
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Providing Increased Access to Stable, Fair,
In the past, federal source-of-income protections garnered support among
Additionally,
Improving Access to
The Case for Increased Federal Investments in
Investing in affordable housing solutions - like the national
Education
Student achievement is maximized when students can go home to stable, affordable homes. Low-income children in affordable homes perform better on cognitive development tests than those in unaffordable homes.70 Low-income students who are forced to change schools frequently because of unstable housing perform less well in school and are less likely to graduate,71 and continual movement of children between schools disrupts learning for all students in the classroom because more time is required for review and catch-up work.72 When affordable housing options are located in high-opportunity areas with low poverty rates and economically diverse schools, the academic performance of low-income students rises dramatically and the achievement gap between them and their more affluent peers narrows.73 Yet across the country, low-income families are priced out of the strongest school districts: housing near high-performing public schools costs 2.4 times more on average than housing near low-performing public schools.74
Health
Access to decent, stable, affordable homes is a major social determinant of health and is linked to better health outcomes throughout a person's life. Children who experienced prenatal homelessness are 20% more likely to have been hospitalized since birth. Children who experienced post-natal homelessness are 22% more likely to have been hospitalized since birth.75 In 2011, families living in unaffordable homes spent one-fifth as much on necessary healthcare as those in affordable housing.76 When people have access to affordable housing, primary care visits increase by 20%, emergency room visits decrease by 18%, and total Medicaid expenditures decrease by 12%.77 Children's HealthWatch estimates that
Economic Mobility
Affordable homes can also help children climb the income ladder as adults. In the study mentioned above,
Economic Productivity
Investments in affordable homes are a proven catalyst for economic growth, job creation, larger government revenues, and increased consumer spending. According to the
Food Security
When rent payments eat into already limited paychecks, low-income families have fewer resources to buy adequate and nutritious food. Low-income families that live in affordable homes experience greater food security, and their children are 52% less likely to be underweight compared to those who are housing cost burdened.82
Criminal Justice
Individuals transitioning out of the criminal legal system face many housing obstacles and are especially vulnerable to homelessness. They rely on safe, affordable housing to reconnect with society and rebuild their lives. Formerly incarcerated individuals who find stable housing are much less likely to return to jail than those who do not.83
Veterans
After serving our country bravely, veterans should have access to decent, stable, affordable homes so they can thrive in the neighborhoods they swore to defend. Rental assistance for veterans has proven highly effective in dramatically reducing veteran homelessness, but there remains significant unmet need.84 The evidence is abundantly clear that being able to afford a decent home in a well-resourced neighborhood is a prerequisite for opportunity in America. Health, economic prospects, highquality education, and the other essential attributes of well-being can only be ensured if our nation's families have access to safe, decent, and affordable homes.
Conclusion
Significant and sustained federal investments, coupled with strengthened and enforced renter protections, are needed to ensure that people with the lowest incomes and those who are most marginalized have stable, accessible, and affordable homes. NLIHC looks forward to a continued partnership with members of
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3 Fischer, W. & Sard, B. (2017). Federal housing spending is poorly matched to need. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved from: https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/federal-housing-spending-ispoorly-matched-to-need
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7 Desmond, M. (2023). Poverty, By America. (First edition). Crown.
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10 ApartmentList (2023). Historic Rent Estimates, downloaded on
11 McCarthy, J., Peach, R., & Ploenke, M. (2015). The measurement of rent inflation.
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18 Public &
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21 Fischer, W. & Sard, B. (2017). Federal housing spending is poorly matched to need. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved from: https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/federal-housing-spending-ispoorly-matched-to-need
22 Acosta, S. &
23 Myers, D. & Park, J. (2020). Filtering of apartment housing between 1980 and 2018.
24 Bailey, P. (2022). Addressing the affordable housing crisis requires expanding rental assistance and adding housing units. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/addressing-the-affordable-housing-crisis-requires-expandingrental-assistance-and
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26 Fischer, W., Acosta, S., & Bailey, A. (2021). An agenda for the future of public housing. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved from: https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/an-agenda-for-thefuture-of-public-housing
27 Leifheit, K.,
28 Marcal, K., Fowler, P., & Hovmand, P.S. (2022). Feedback dynamics of the low-income rental housing market: Exploring policy responses to COVID-19. Retrieved from: https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.12647?context=cs
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33 Fuller, Thomas. (2022,
34 Anderson, D. (2023). Real estate investors pull back, buying 45% fewer homes than a year ago.
35 Vogell, H. (2022). When private equity becomes your landlord. ProPublica. Retrieved from: https://www.propublica.org/article/when-private-equity-becomes-your-landlord
36 Ludden, J. (2022). Corporate landlords used aggressive tactics to push out more tenants than was known.
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38 Vogell, H. (2022). When private equity becomes your landlord. ProPublica. Retrieved from: https://www.propublica.org/article/when-private-equity-becomes-your-landlord
39 Raymond, E., Zha, Y., Knight-Scott, E., & Cabrera, L. (2022). Large corporate buyers of residential rental housing during the COVID-19 pandemic in three southeastern metropolitan areas.
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41 Vogell, H. (2023).
42 Kovatch, S. (2022). 5 takeaways from our investigation into
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46 Raymond, Zha, Knight-Scott, & Cabrera, "Large corporate buyers of residential rental housing during the COVID-19 pandemic in three southeastern metropolitan areas."
47 Immergluck, D., Ernsthausen, J., Earl, S., & Powell, A. (2020). Evictions, large owners, and serial filings: Findings from
48 Leung, L., Hepburn, P., & Desmond, M. (2021). Serial eviction filing: Civil courts, property management, and the threat of displacement. Social Forces, 100(1), 316-344. Retrieved from: https://academic.oup.com/sf/article/100/1/316/5903878
49 Leung, Hepburn, & Desmond, "Serial Eviction Filing."
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51 Raymond, Zha, Knight-Scott, & Cabrera, "Large corporate buyers of residential rental housing during the COVID-19 pandemic in three southeastern metropolitan areas."
52 Raymond, E. L., Miller, B., McKinney, M., & Braun, J. (2021). Gentrifying
53 Lopez, Kattan, & Ash, "
54 Vogell, "When Private Equity Becomes Your Landlord."
55 Lopez, Kattan, & Ash, "
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57 Fasanelli, A. K. & Tegeler, P. (2019). Your money's no good here: Combatting source of income discrimination in housing.
58 Vasquez, J.,
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60 Desmond, M. (2015). Unaffordable America: Poverty, housing, and eviction.
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62 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2017). Housing Choice Voucher fact sheets. Retrieved from: https://www.cbpp.org/housing-choice-voucher-fact-sheets
63 Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign. (2023). Housing influences outcomes across many sectors and the research shows it. Retrieved from: https://www.opportunityhome.org/related-sectors/
64 Himmelstein, G. & Desmond, M. (2021). Eviction and health: A vicious cycle exacerbated by a pandemic. Health Affairs. Retrieved from: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20210315.747908/
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67 Acosta, Sonya. (2023,
68 Chetty, R., Hendren, N., & Katz, L. F. (2015). The effects of exposure to better neighborhoods on children: New evidence from the Moving to Opportunity experiment.
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71 Voight, A., Shinn, M., & Nation, M. (2012). The Longitudinal Effects of Residential Mobility on the Academic Achievement of Urban Elementary and Middle School Students. Educational Researcher, 41(9), 385-392. Retrieved from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3102/0013189X12442239; Cunningham, M., & MacDonald, G. (2012.) Housing as a Platform for Improving Education Outcomes among Low-Income Children.
72 Cunningham, M. & MacDonald, G. (2012). Housing as a Platform for Improving Education Outcomes among Low Income Children.
73 Schwartz, H. (2010). Housing Policy is School Policy.
74 Rothwell, J. (2012). Housing Costs, Zoning, and Access to High-Scoring Schools.
75 Sandel, M. et al. (2016). Housing as a
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77 Wright, B. et al. (2016). Health in Housing.
78 Poblacion A.,
79 Chetty, R., Hendren, N., & Katz, L. (2015). The Effects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on Children: New Evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment.
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81 Moretti, E. & Hsieh, C. (2015). Housing Constraints and Spatial Misallocation.
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83 Fontaine, J. (2013). The Role of Supportive Housing in Successful Reentry Outcomes for Disabled Prisoners. Cityscape: A
84 Fischer, W. (2014). Rental Assistance Helps More than 340,000
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Original text here: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BA/BA04/20231206/116635/HHRG-118-BA04-Wstate-YentelD-20231206.pdf
House Financial Services Subcommittee Issues Testimony From National Low Income Housing Coalition President Yentel (Part 1 of 2)
House Financial Services Subcommittee Issues Testimony From Borger Residential President Royster
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