On May 23, the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (“THUD”) marked up its Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill.  Once again, significant increases were made to various HUD programs (outlined below) - notwithstanding the Trump Administration's proposed budget eliminating and reducing funding to most HUD programs.  Both Democratic and Republican members justified the increases based upon the need to make significant investments to our nation's “infrastructure” in which they specifically mention affordable housing programs.  Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) stated:

“With this bill, we have the opportunity to invest in our infrastructure and fundamentally improve the lives of our constituents.”

Congress and the Trump Administration must reach an agreement on a new budget bill as the current one expires on September 30.  Failure to do so will result in the implementation of the cuts from the Budget Control Act of 2011 (so-called "Sequestration") which is still in effect.

Funding for key HUD programs include:

FY 2020 HUD Budget ($5.9 B increase)	$50.1 B
Project-Based Section 8	$12.6 B
Tenant Based Voucher	$21.4 B
HOME	$1.75 B
CDBG	$3.6 B
Section 202 elderly	$803 M
Section 811	$258.5 M
Public Housing Capital Fund	$2.85 B
Public Housing Operating Fund	$4.75 B
Choice Neighborhood	$300 M

The full House Appropriations committee is scheduled to mark up their bill on June 4.  The Senate has not yet scheduled its mark up of FY 2020 THUD appropriations. 

Also, on May 21, HUD Secretary Ben Carson testified before the Housing Financial Services Committee which has jurisdiction over authorizing housing programs.