Affordable-housing coalition takes message to Capitol Hill

Challenges to a limited public housing rent law, the scrutiny of government-sponsored enterprises, and the dwindling supply of new affordable rural housing are among the topics that will be explored during a meeting of the National Low Income Housing Coalition today and tomorrow in Washington, D.C.

The coalition, whose primary policy objective is to push for legislation that provides rental housing for extremely low-income people, also aims to increase public and government awareness of low-income housing issues and generally supports any federal investment in low-income housing programs.

A conference panel is scheduled today on public attitudes toward affordable housing, while another panel will explore ways to engage low-income communities in voter registration, education and mobilization projects.

Among the workshop topics: "The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign"; "Lean Days Ahead: Deficits and the Federal Housing Budget"; "Saving or Starving Public Housing"; "Why Housing Policy is Health Care Policy"; "The Realities of Low-Income Homeownership"; and "Strategies to End Homelessness: Complementary or at Cross Purposes?"

On Tuesday members of the coalition will head to Capitol Hill for meetings with their Congressional delegations.

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