IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 886 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Brooke rule is essential to ensuring 

affordable rent levels for families receiving Federal rental assistance. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 10, 2018 

Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Brooke rule is 

essential to ensuring affordable rent levels for families 

receiving Federal rental assistance. 

Whereas the Brooke rule ensures that low-income families receiving Federal rental assistance do not pay more than 

30 percent of their adjusted income for rent; 

Whereas the Brooke rule has governed Federal rental assistance programs since 1969 and is widely recognized as the 

standard for affordable rental housing; 

Whereas housing costs above 30 percent of income are generally considered by housing experts to be unaffordable, 

forcing families to divert money from other basic needs 

to pay the rent and leaving them one illness or accident 

away from losing their homes; 


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•HRES 886 IH 

Whereas Federal rental assistance provides safe, decent, and 

affordable housing for over 5 million families each year, 

including nearly 4 million children; 

Whereas safe, decent, and affordable housing is critical to the 

health and well-being of families, as well as to economic 

mobility and the long-term success of children; 

Whereas efforts to undermine the Brooke rule put families at 

risk of eviction and homelessness; 

Whereas nearly 9 of 10 of households residing in public housing or receiving Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance are either elderly, disabled, already or recently 

working, or are subject to a work requirement under another Federal assistance program; 

Whereas there is no evidence that raising rents on low-income 

families will result in higher earned incomes; 

Whereas the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ‘‘Making Affordable Housing Work Again’’ proposal released on April 25, 2018, would undermine the 

Brooke rule by increasing rents for families receiving 

Federal rental assistance by up to $1,800 a year and 

putting 1.7 million people at risk of eviction and homelessness, including nearly 1 million children; and 

Whereas the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ‘‘Making Affordable Housing Work Again’’ proposal would give the Department of Housing and Urban 

Development unlimited authority to impose additional 

rent increases without Congressional approval: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 886 IH 

1 (1) affirms that the Brooke rule is essential for 

2 ensuring affordable rents for families receiving Fed3 eral rental assistance; 

4 (2) rejects the Administration’s ‘‘Making Af5 fordable Housing Work Again’’ proposal and other 

6 efforts to undermine the Brooke rule; and 

7 (3) acknowledges the need for increased fund8 ing for Federal rental assistance programs in order 

9 to assist more families in need. 

Æ 


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