Letter Urges Appropriators to Fully Fund Housing Programs. On June 30, LeadingAge, along with other members of the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF), sent a letter to House and Senate appropriators “to express our sincere concern for the fate of HUD and USDA affordable housing, homelessness assistance, and community development programs in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget.” CHCDF is a coalition of national housing and community development organizations working together to secure the highest possible funding for housing and community development programs. LeadingAge is on the steering committee of CHCDF. “Efforts to cap funding for the upcoming year at FY22 levels – despite the agreement reached in the ‘Fiscal Responsibility Act’ – represent an urgent threat to the millions of people who rely on HUD and USDA housing programs. Under the 302(b)s adopted by the House Appropriations Committee, the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bill would be cut by over $22.12 billion, or over 25%, from FY23 enacted levels,” the letter says. Housing advocates are urged to respond to LeadingAge’s action alert on FY24 HUD funding. Additional information on HUD funding for FY24 can be found here.

Housing Navigator Bill Introduced with LeadingAge Support. On June 28, Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) introduced the Housing Navigators Act to create a new program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Housing Counseling (OHC) to provide direct housing counseling for renters and people experiencing homelessness to connect with critical services and housing placement opportunities. The Housing Navigators Act would fund a Housing Navigator Program specifically to assist people experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness. LeadingAge has endorsed the bill.

New HUD Multifamily Leadership Staff. On July 6, HUD announced Donald Billingsley as the new Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing. Prior to his new position at HUD, Mr. Billingsley’s most recent role was Vice President with Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, a subsidiary of Truist Bank, where he was responsible for originating mortgages for multifamily and commercial properties, nationwide. Mr. Billingsley previously served as HUD’s Multifamily Regional Director for the southeast region, managing FHA Multifamily Insurance, Project Based Rental Assistance and the Section 202/811 Capital Advance programs in southeastern states and Caribbean territories. Mr. Billingsley also spent several years in Multifamily Production at HUD HQ. Prior to his last tour with HUD, Mr. Billingsley was an Analyst with the Federal Home Loan Bank’s affordable housing programs and spent 15 years developing and managing Low Income Housing Tax Credit developments. Mr. Billingsley is a U.S. Navy combat veteran. LeadingAge looks forward to working with Mr. Billingsley to support, improve, and expand HUD’s multifamily portfolio. 

Work on Multisector State Plans on Aging Advances. The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) announced its launch of the Multisector Plan on Aging Collaborative, supported by the SCAN Foundation, West Health, and the May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust. The 12-month collaborative will support 10 states – Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington State, to build on work already underway in these states. The collaborative will offer peer to peer exchange, access to a network of experts, and technical assistance on building cross-sector buy in and facilitate developing a multisector plan on aging.