Ellison to Introduce Legislation to Fund Public Housing

U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) announced that he will be introducing the Rental Housing Revitalization Act (RHRA) when members of Congress return to Washington, D.C. The legislation, which addresses the public housing infrastructure, “is designed to restore the country’s deteriorating public housing infrastructure, simplify rental assistance programs, and provide greater choice to renters,” stated Ellison in a press release.

Ellison worked closely with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on this legislation, which is an attempt to revise the Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) act proposed by HUD earlier this year. The TRA proposed to shift the current public housing capital and operating subsidies to a single rental subsidy stream.

Donovan and Ellison discussed the new legislation at the Twin Cities 2010 Homes for All Conference. The RHRA will enable federal housing programs to access up to $25 billion in private capital to finance badly needed repairs and rehabilitations. “I am committed to maintaining access to affordable housing and I believe this legislation will provide tremendous benefits to our communities,” said Ellison.