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POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Don’t Let Affordable Housing Programs Go Begging

“[A]t a time when record numbers of families have been caught in the squeeze between rising rents and falling wages — and are at greater risk of homelessness . . . this is the worst possible time for Congress to let affordable housing programs go begging,” the New York Times editorialized yesterday.  The editorial called on Congress to restore all 70,000 housing vouchers lost last year due to sequestration.  We couldn’t agree more.

As we explained Friday, December’s Murray-Ryan budget agreement provided partial relief from sequestration for 2014 and 2015.  To finish the job, next year’s funding must cover all vouchers in use in 2014 plus another 40,000 vouchers.  Congress can do this in ways that also promote other important policy goals, like reducing homelessness.

This map shows the state-by-state impact of last year’s voucher cuts.

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