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Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) recently reintroduced the Rent Relief Act. The legislation creates a new, refundable tax credit for households whose housing costs exceed 30 percent of their income, including rent and utilities. Unlike existing tax credits, Americans who qualify would receive the benefits every month. Harris was joined by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) in reintroducing the legislation.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently reintroduced the “HUD Inspection Process and Enforcement Reform Act of 2019.” The legislation was first introduced by him in 2015 and it aims to improve federal housing inspections and to hold landlords accountable for misusing taxpayer dollars or endangering tenant health and safety.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and colleagues recently reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to confront the affordable housing shortage.

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) recently introduced the Safe Housing for Families Act to provide carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in HUD housing units. The bill follows recent reports of CO poisoning among residents of HUD housing, which has led to at least 11 deaths since 2003. Companion legislation also was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Chuy García (D-IL) and Joe Cunningham (D-SC).

The National Low Income Housing Coalition recently released its annual report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes. Their analysis found that there are only 37 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households nationwide. These renter households also are more likely to be severely housing cost-burdened, spending more than half of their incomes on rent and utilities.

HUD recently announced it is dramatically reducing the advance notice it provides to public housing authorities (PHAs) and private owners of HUD-subsidized apartment developments before their housing is inspected to ensure it is decent, safe, and healthy. HUD's new standard provides PHAs and private owners of HUD-assisted housing 14 calendar days' notice before an inspection.

On Feb. 15, President Trump signed into law H.J. Res. 31. This legislation will fund the remainder of the government, including HUD, through Sept. 30, 2019, the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. With the signing of the resolution into law, there will be no more shutdowns impacting FY 2019 funding.

HUD published a notice in the Federal Register on Feb. 14 asking for input before implementing amendments to the United States Housing Act of 1937 that primarily pertain to small public housing agencies (PHAs) predominantly operating in a rural area. Another amendment requires HUD to make available one or more software programs to facilitate the voluntary use of shared waiting lists by PHAs (not just small PHAs) as well as by private owners of HUD-assisted housing.

As of Jan. 22, more than 700 rental assistance contracts have expired since the government shutdown began. The number of expiring contracts will increase as the shutdown continues. HUD anticipates approximately 500 additional contracts will expire and be up for renewal in January and 550 in February.              

Members of Congress recently sent a letter to President Trump on the direct and immediate consequences of the shutdown on housing security for more than 4 million households across the country. Both the short-term operations and long-term viability of affordable housing programs are dependent on HUD rental assistance initiatives. An estimated 2.2 million low-income households are among those at risk of eviction, including housing for thousands of veterans, seniors, and people living with disabilities.