Section 811 Legislation Moving Through Congress

Important legislation to reform and reinvigorate HUD's Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and is now pending in the Senate. The Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act (HR 1675 and S 1481) would make essential changes and cost-effective improvements to this symbolic HUD program that creates new permanent supportive housing for people with the most significant and long term disabilities.

Status Report on Section 811 Legislation

• On July 1, the House T-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY2011 spending bill which restores the Section 811 program appropriations to $300 million. To view other HUD programs, see the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) analysis of the House T-HUD appropriations mark up.
  




• HUD's Proposed FY 2011 Section 811 budget eliminates all funding for new Section 811 housing and calls for major program reforms.
  




• Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development holds Hearing on S 1481: On October 29, 2009, the Senate held a hearing on S 1481 which is co-sponsored by Senator Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Johanns (R-NE). Witnesses for S. 1481 included Representative Christopher Murphy (D-CT) [view testimony], the original co-sponsor of an identical bill (HR 1675) in the House of Representatives. Other witnesses included Ann O'Hara from the Technical Assistance Collaborative [view testimony], Sheila Crowley from the National Low Income Housing Coalition [view testimony], and Michael Jones from Brick New Jersey [view testimony]. The hearing – "Modernizing Housing for Seniors and People with Disabilities" – is archived on the Senate Banking Committee website.

• House of Representatives Passes HR 1675: By a strong bipartisan vote of 357-51, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1675 on July 22, 2009. The lead co-sponsors were Representative Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL). An identical bill previously passed the House unanimously in September of 2008 during the 110th Congress.

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Take Action NOW to Support Section 811 Legislation!

 

Disability advocates must act now to help pass this important legislation which would create 3,000 – 4,000 new units of Section 811 housing every year. Please e-mail your Senators now and urge them to co-sponsor S 1481. The simplest way to send an e-mail is the following:

 

First, Google the name of your Senator and click onto their Home page Next, Click Contact or Contact Us, and fill out the form, including your name and address. Remember to ask your Senator to co-sponsor S 1481 which will reform HUD's Section 811 program and help address the extreme housing crisis confronting people with the most significant disabilities.

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More Information on Section 811 Legislation

• TAC's Fact Sheet summarizing the H.R.1675/S.1481 Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009
  
  

• A sample letter to send to your Senator to support S. 1481
  
  

• CCD's side-by-side analysis of the new Section 811 legislation compared to the existing Section 811 program
  
  

• A section-by-section summary of the proposed Section 811 Supportive Housing Program
  
  

• A Power Point presentation highlighting the key aspects of the modernized Section 811 program
  
  

• TAC's May 2008 issue of Opening Doors discussing H.R.1675/S.1481.
  
  

• Bill text of H.R. 1675 and S. 1481.