By: jfairbanks

January 15, 2009

The National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), of which VHFA is a member, is a national, nonprofit organization created by the nation's state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) to advance through advocacy and education their efforts to provide affordable housing.

NCSHA's legislative and regulatory priorities, adopted annually by its Board of Directors after consultation with all state HFAs, set the agenda for NCSHA's advocacy before Congress, the Administration, and the federal agencies concerned with housing, including HUD and the Treasury.

NCSHA's overarching goal is an affordably housed nation. To achieve this, NCSHA is committed to protecting, expanding, and increasing the effectiveness of federal affordable housing programs responsive to the wide range of housing needs HFAs serve, including the need for homeowner and rental housing, and supportive housing for persons with special needs and individuals and families that are experiencing homelessness. NCSHA also recognizes the importance of affordable housing preservation, a strong Federal Housing Administration, secondary mortgage market, and Community Reinvestment Act to the attainment of this goal.

Recognizing that ready access to capital and liquidity is essential to the stable and efficient operation of HFA programs, NCSHA will seek to ensure its availability from the housing Government-Sponsored Enterprises (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, or the GSEs) and federal agencies.

In pursuit of this goal, NCSHA in 2009 will seek:

  • Permanent increases in tax-exempt Housing Bond and Low Income Housing Tax Credit authority.
  • Increased funding for the HOME program, a federal block grant to states and local governments for affordable housing for low-income households.
  • New state-administered funding for project-based operating subsidies to support affordable rental housing and tenant-based rental assistance to support priorities determined by the states that are not met under the Housing Choice Voucher program.
  • Dedicated and sustainable funding for the state-administered National Housing Trust Fund.
  • Section 8 funding adequate to renew all authorized vouchers, provide for new ones, and honor existing project-based assistance commitments.
  • To ensure the housing GSEs and federal agencies support HFAs with liquidity and capital, through the purchase of HFA Bonds and Housing Credits and other means.
  • Changes to existing housing programs and the creation of new ones to preserve existing affordable rental housing.