This will free up more McKinney funds to serve homeless families. HUD's budget plan also contains several 'new markets' initiatives that were in last year's proposal but congress did not choose to implement them. A detailed budget chart can be found at the end of this alert. However, HAC has voiced concern that the FY 2001 budget continues to underfund the Section 515 program, which helps produce rental units for the rural people with the lowest incomes. Run by the Rural Housing Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Section 515 helps local developers to create apartments with affordable rents for very low-income rural people.
Recent research shows that rural renters have significant housing needs.
In addition, HAC will publish a separate analysis in the near future. It is never too early to begin making the case for increased housing funding on Capital Hill. Urge your members of Congress to support the increases in the president's budget, and share examples of how successful these programs have been in your community. The president's final budget of his two terms in office includes good news for low income families in a number of areas. It would also expand the credit for married, two-earner couples, which is expected to benefit more than 1 million married filers.