Skip to main content

Amid Rising Costs of Housing, Kamala Harris Introduces Bill to Provide Rent Relief

July 19, 2018

Amid Rising Costs of Housing, Harris Introduces Bill to Provide Rent Relief

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the cost of housing continuing to rise in California and across the country, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris today introduced legislation to provide rent relief for working families struggling to pay their bills. The Rent Relief Act would create a new, refundable tax credit to put more money in the pockets of families at a time when renters’ wages have remained stagnant and housing costs have increased rapidly. Harris was joined in the introduction by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
“America’s affordable housing crisis has left too many families behind who struggle each month to keep a roof over their head,” said Senator Harris. “This bill will ensure no family is priced out of the basic security of a place to live. Bolstering the economic security of working families would strengthen our country and increase opportunity.”
“This bill would help more than 140,000 low-income Connecticut families struggling to pay rent each month, providing them much needed relief and flexibility to spend on other vital needs like health care and putting the American Dream within closer reach,” said Senator Blumenthal. “For far too many in Connecticut and across the country, rising rents and flat paychecks prevent them from enjoying the basic, fundamental human right to affordable housing.”
“As far too many families scramble to afford the cost of living, we must keep working to find solutions to our affordable housing crisis,” said Senator Hassan. “I’ve heard from businesses across our state that one of their most pressing challenges is a shortage of affordable housing for their prospective employees. This common-sense bill would create a refundable tax credit to help bring relief to families who struggle to afford their rent and expand economic opportunity for hard-working Granite Staters and Americans.”
“The lack of affordable housing is a national emergency,” said Matthew Desmond, Author of “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. “Senator Harris is bringing heightened awareness to a crisis that’s been ignored for far too long. The Rent Relief Act reflects a strong commitment to ensuring that all Americans have access to a safe and affordable home.”
report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition illustrates that there is a shortage of 7.4 million affordable rental units for America’s 11.4 million extremely low-income families. According to California’s Department of Housing and Community Development, nearly 1/3 of California renters (3 million California households) are rent burdened, and California has the third highest rents in the country. More than 1.5 million households are severely rent burdened and more Americans than ever are renters. The share of US households that were renters climbed to 35 percent in 2012, up from 31 percent in 2004.
Under Harris’ Rent Relief Act, the refundable tax credit will be available to individuals who live in rental housing and pay more than 30% of their gross income for the taxable year on their rent including utilities. Eligible individuals would qualify for the tax benefit by determining the total amount spent yearly on rent, taking into account the family’s annual income, and a rate of the federal government’s established fair market rent controls.
Individuals who live in government-subsidized rental housing could claim the value of one month’s rent as a refundable tax credit. Subsidized rent is normally capped at 30% of a person’s income, making them eligible for the tax benefit for rent-burdened residents. The Rent Relief Act would give much-needed relief to lower income residents.
The Rent Relief Act is supported by: the National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Fair Housing of California, and the National Housing Law Project      
"I applaud Senator Harris for her leadership in introducing this innovative, bold proposal, which would help struggling families who today face impossible choices between paying rent and meeting their other basic needs, including putting groceries on the table and taking care of their health,” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “A new tax credit for renters - like the one proposed by Senator Harris - could transform lives, providing millions of the lowest income people with the breadth of opportunities that start with an affordable home -  opportunities to climb the economic ladder, improve their health, and allow children to do better in school."
“Home is not just where we keep a roof over our heads — it’s where we raise families, become part of a community, and create a lifetime of memories,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “It’s also where we want to stay, and Senator Harris’ legislation would help protect millions of families from losing their homes, by expanding benefits and opportunities for people who pay rent every month.”
“Nearly every Oakland resident who pays rent will save money under this law,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “At a time when our city is fighting the displacement of long-time residents, The Rent Relief Act of 2018 will help working class families, artists, senior-aged tenants, and anyone else who struggles to make the rent each month. I’m proud to partner with Sen. Harris to fight California’s cost of living crisis and deliver more affordable housing to all Oaklanders.”
“Thank you to Senator Harris for acting with urgency, thoughtfulness and creativity to help address the housing crisis that is impacting cities throughout California,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “This bill would be an important tool to provide real relief for millions of people struggling through no fault of their own.”  
“Mayors across the country should applaud Senator Harris’ proactive leadership in addressing the housing crisis impacting millions of renters,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “With the billions in tax subsidies allotted to billionaires through last year’s tax changes, this legislation provides a refreshing contrast for working families who struggle daily.”
“In Stockton, one in two residents will pay over 30% of their income to housing,” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. “We have seen some of the highest rent increases in the nation, making even finding a place to live a major challenge. It will take solutions from both State and Federal officials, as well as creative improvements locally, to help solve this housing crisis. I am incredibly thankful that Senator Harris is helping to lead the way with the Rent Relief Act.”
For a full list of supportive statements, click here.
Text of the legislation can be found here.
A fact sheet on the bill can be found here.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

🔳🟥🔲🟩 The New Syrian Economy 🟩 🔲 🟥🔳

  2020   Int'l Golden Rule of Economy for  Syria Conflicts ~BY Christine Cerda 🌟 https://about.me/christine.cerda 🔳 🟥 🔲 🟩   $226B Loss in GDP Syria Conflicts 2016  🟩   🔲  🟥 🔳 (8) 24/7 🔳  EXPLORATION  🔳 Altruism 🔳 International Relations Reciprocity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(international_relations) Commoditization Solutions https://securitiesce.com/definitions/5756-interlocking-directorate/ 🔲  INNOVATION  🔲  Quantum Evolution*  In the  United States , the  Clayton Act   prohibits interlocking directorates by U.S. companies competing in the same industry, if those corporations would violate  antitrust laws  if combined into a single corporation. However, at least 1 in 8 of the interlocks in the United States are between corporations that are supposedly competitors   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlocking_directorate ⬜️ AIR/ENVIRONMENT 🟫  Games, Experiment ⬜️ Reject Hate Speech and Dividing Expression   Histo

Short sales soar in California, U.S. - latimes.com

Short sales soar in California, U.S. - latimes.com The short sale phenomenon can only be as successful as the individuals who are attempting to work at them. Until we've educated our ourselves on the Benefits, Features and Outcomes of the positive nature of the Short Sale, the industry will never be strong enough to offset the political tension between the President and the Banks.

Obligation in the 💚 Sensation & FB Harmonisation

Harmonization is sensational for the love 💚 (philautia, storge, agape & pragma) of life creational. Empowering people to generational wealth! Business Development & Strategy Ombudsman Christine Cerda, MBA/GM California Realtor Lic 01702401 559-285-1999 Sandberg added that Facebook would be working to ensure that future advertisements do not run afoul of fair housing laws. “We’re building a tool so you can search for and view all current housing ads in the U.S. targeted to different places across the country, regardless of whether the ads are shown to you,” she continued. “Housing, employment and credit ads are crucial to helping people buy new homes, start great careers, and gain access to credit. They should never be used to exclude or harm people. Getting this right is deeply important to me and all of us at Facebook because inclusivity is a core value for our company.”  “This settlement positively impacts all of Facebook’s 210 million users in the U.S. si