Monday, July 16, 2012

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities will hold a conference call briefing on Tuesday, July 17 at 11:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss a new rental assistance proposal that has the potential to make housing affordable for 1.2 million low-income renter households.

Barbara Sard, vice president for Housing Policy and former senior advisor on Rental Assistance to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Will Fischer, senior policy analyst, will discuss the new proposal — a federal renters' tax credit — that could help reduce rents for over a million poor families at a modest cost and advance a more balanced housing policy.

The new proposal, which could be considered as part of a larger tax reform proposal to improve the efficiency of the tax code and help reduce deficits, would complement existing programs to help address the growing need for rental assistance. Under the proposal, states would administer and implement rental assistance credits through a public-private partnership with property owners and banks. States could award families credit certificates to help them rent a modest unit of their choice or could allocate credits to owners or lenders to make units affordable to low-income families. The proposal has the potential to reduce rents by an average of $400 and lift 250,000 families out of poverty.

After initial presentations, the panelists will field questions. The call will be moderated by CBPP President Robert Greenstein.

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

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