NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION

IN 2021, NLIHC LAUNCHED THE END RENTAL ARREARS TO STOP EVICTIONS (ERASE) PROJECT, WHICH AIMED TO ENSURE THAT AN UNPRECEDENTED $46.5 BILLION IN EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE (ERA) PROVIDED BY CONGRESS REACHED THE LOWEST INCOME, MOST MARGINALIZED RENTERS AND PEOPLE WITHOUT HOMES AS EFFICIENTLY AND EQUITABLY AS POSSIBLE AND PROTECTED PEOPLE FROM EVICTION. THROUGHOUT 2023, THE ERASE PROJECT CONTINUED TO HELP STATE AND LOCAL ERA PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY IMPROVE BY PROVIDING IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS AND MODELS, LEADING TO IMPROVEMENTS IN ERA DISBURSAL. BY THE TIME THE ERASE PROJECT OFFICIALLY CONCLUDED IN DECEMBER 2023, $39.9 BILLION IN ERA HAD BEEN ISSUED TO RENTERS IN NEED, AND THE ERA PROGRAM HAD MADE NEARLY 11.6 MILLION PAYMENTS TO HOUSEHOLDS. U.S. TREASURY DATA INDICATE THAT 62% OF BENEFICIARIES WERE EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. THE ERASE PROJECT HOSTED A THREE-PART WEBINAR SERIES DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023 HIGHLIGHTING THE SUCCESSES OF MEMBERS OF THE 2022-2023 ERASE COHORT IN SUPPORTING LOCAL TENANT ORGANIZING EFFORTS TO INCREASE HOUSING STABILITY. THE FIRST CALL, HELD IN JUNE, FOCUSED ON THE SUCCESSES OF COHORT MEMBERS IN ADVOCATING FOR PERMANENT TENANT PROTECTIONS IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS. THE SECOND CALL, HELD IN JULY, ADDRESSED THE EFFORTS OF COHORT MEMBERS TO SECURE STATE AND LOCAL LEGISLATIVE INVESTMENTS AIMED AT PROTECTING TENANTS FROM THE WIDE-RANGING IMPACTS OF THE EVICTION PROCESS. THE FINAL CALL, HELD IN AUGUST, HIGHLIGHTED COHORT MEMBERS' WORK MAINTAINING AND BUILDING UPON COMPONENTS OF TREASURY'S ERA PROGRAM IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS.THE ERASE PROJECT RELEASED A TOTAL OF SIX PUBLICATIONS IN 2023: EVICTION RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT TOOLKIT (APRIL) PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT EVICTION RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT PROTECTIONS NATIONWIDE, SURVEYING RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT LEGISLATION CURRENTLY IN PLACE, IDENTIFYING THE CORE COMPONENTS OF EXISTING PROTECTIONS, AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LAWMAKERS DEVELOPING NEW EVICTION RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT PROTECTIONS IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS. THE STATE OF STATEWIDE PROTECTIONS (MAY) PRESENTED IN-DEPTH SUMMARIES OF FIVE COMMON TENANT PROTECTIONS, DETAILED THE CHALLENGES FACED BY STATE LAWMAKERS ENACTING PROTECTIONS, AND OFFERED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING STATE LAWS ESTABLISHING LONG-TERM RENTER PROTECTIONS. CONTINUING EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE: HOW JURISDICTIONS ARE BUILDING ON TREASURY'S ERA PROGRAM (RELEASED JOINTLY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S HOUSING INITIATIVE AT PENN (HIP) IN JULY) EXAMINED WHICH COMPONENTS OF TREASURY'S ERA PROGRAM WERE BEING RETAINED BY STATE AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, AS WELL AS THE FACTORS LEADING TO THEIR RETENTION. BEYOND HOUSING STABILITY: UNDERSTANDING TENANT AND LANDLORD EXPERIENCES AND THE IMPACT OF ERA (RELEASED JOINTLY WITH HIP AND THE REINVESTMENT FUND IN AUGUST) EXPLORED TENANT AND LANDLORD EXPERIENCES WITH THE TREASURY ERA PROGRAM. EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN ACTION (SEPTEMBER) PRESENTED A COLLECTION OF STORIES REVEALING HOW TREASURY'S ERA PROGRAM BENEFITED THE LOWEST-INCOME RENTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. END RENTAL ARREARS TO STOP EVICTIONS (ERASE): HISTORY, SUCCESSES, AND HIGHLIGHTS (DECEMBER) PROVIDED A HISTORY OF THE ERASE PROJECT AND ITS SUCCESSES.IN ADDITION, THE ERASE PROJECT'S WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY RESULTED IN MORE THAN 280 NEW STATE AND LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS BEING PASSED OR IMPLEMENTED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2023, RESULTING IN INCREASED HOUSING STABILITY FOR MILLIONS OF RENTER HOUSEHOLDS. NLIHC TRACKED NEW TENANT PROTECTIONS ON ITS TENANT PROTECTIONS WEBPAGE THROUGHOUT 2023 AND MADE DATA FROM ITS STATE AND LOCAL ERA TENANT PROTECTIONS DATABASE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. NLIHC CONTINUED TO ADVANCE ITS GOALS IN 2023 THROUGH THE HOUSED, IDEAS, AND OPPORTUNITY STARTS AT HOME CAMPAIGNS BY: PROMOTING ANTIRACIST POLICIES BY HOSTING AND ULTIMATELY CONCLUDING IN JUNE ITS RACIAL EQUITY COHORT AFTER 10 MONTHS OF MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND WORKSHOPS HELD WITH HOUSING ADVOCATES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE COHORT WAS CONVENED TO FACILITATE PEER LEARNING, BUILD THE CAPACITY OF PARTNERS TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS, AND IDENTIFY KEY THEMES, RESOURCES, AND STRATEGIES TO SHARE BROADLY WITH ITS STATE AND TRIBAL PARTNER NETWORK. ADVANCING UNIVERSAL, STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED BY COLLABORATING WITH KEY NATIONAL PARTNERS ON A WEBINAR SERIES FOCUSED ON HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING FIRST. THE SERIES INCLUDED A TOTAL OF NINE WEBINARS AND DREW UPWARDS OF 13,400 PARTICIPANTS BEFORE CONCLUDING IN SEPTEMBER. NLIHC ALSO CONTINUED HOSTING BI-WEEKLY NATIONAL HOUSED CAMPAIGN CALLS TO SHARE THE LATEST RESEARCH, POLICY, AND FIELD UPDATES WITH ADVOCATES AROUND THE COUNTRY. THESE CALLS REMAIN INSTRUMENTAL IN ENSURING NLIHC'S PARTNERS ARE AWARE OF AND READY TO ENGAGE IN FEDERAL ADVOCACY. ENGAGING TENANTS IN HOUSING ADVOCACY BY CONVENING THE SECOND ANNUAL COLLECTIVE RETREAT IN OCTOBER IN ALBANY, GEORGIA, WHERE MEMBERS OF NLIHC'S 2023-24 COLLECTIVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOUSING INSECURITY WHO ARE LEADING ADVOCATES FOR HOUSING JUSTICE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES GATHERED TO DISCUSS THEIR SHARED GOALS FOR ACHIEVING HOUSING JUSTICE AND TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY HEALING IN PREPARATION FOR UPCOMING WORK. DEVELOPING RESOURCES FOR ADVOCATES TO ENGAGE THEIR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, INCLUDING A MEMORANDUM, ADVANCING HOUSING JUSTICE IN THE 118TH CONGRESS, RELEASED IN JANUARY 2023 AND ADDRESSED TO THE INCOMING CONGRESS, THAT OUTLINED THE ONGOING NEED FOR FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AND THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS REQUIRED TO END THE NATION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISES; AND A CONGRESSIONAL RECESS TOOLKIT, RELEASED IN JULY, THAT PROVIDED ADVOCATES WITH COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT HOSTING SITE VISITS AND IN-DISTRICT MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND OFFERED IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND FOR EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS. PROTECTING INVESTMENTS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SERVICES IN THE FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2024 BUDGET PROCESS, DESPITE CALLS FROM CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS TO SLASH FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC PROGRAMS BY UP TO 30% IN FY24 AND DESPITE SPENDING CAPS IMPOSED BY THE "FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 2023." SUBMITTING COMMENTS TO INFLUENCE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S REGULATORY AGENDA AND SHAPE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE AND FAIR HOUSING. O IN MAY, NLIHC SUBMITTED A COMMENT TO THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB) AND FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON TENANT SCREENING PRACTICES.O IN JULY, NLIHC, ALONG WITH ITS 2022-2023 TENANT LEADER COHORT AND THE PARTNERSHIP FOR JUST HOUSING (CO-ORGANIZED BY NLIHC), SUBMITTED ORGANIZATIONAL COMMENT LETTERS RECOMMENDING NEEDED CHANGES TO HUD'S PROPOSAL TO ENHANCE TENANT PROTECTIONS FOR PROPERTIES BACKED BY THE FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY (FHFA).O ALSO IN JULY, NLIHC SUBMITTED A COMMENT IN RESPONSE TO HUD'S NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING (NPRM) FOR SECTION 504, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN ANY PROGRAM RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. A KEY TO NLIHC'S CAMPAIGN SUCCESSES HAS BEEN OUR ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY MOBILIZE MEMBERS OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY AND BEYOND, INCLUDING PARTNERS IN THE HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, FAITH-BASED, CIVIL RIGHTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND OTHER SECTORS, AND ENGAGE THOUSANDS OF ADVOCATES IN CALLS AND WEBINARS, SIGN ON LETTERS, ADVOCACY DAYS, AND OTHER CALLS TO ACTION.A FEW OF NLIHC'S ADDITIONAL PRIORITY EFFORTS IN 2023 INCLUDED: PRODUCING AND WIDELY DISTRIBUTING ONGOING RESEARCH, LIKE THE GAP 2023: A SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOMES AND OUT OF REACH 2023, AS WELL AS 17 OTHER RESEARCH REPORTS ON EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, TENANT PROTECTIONS, RENTAL HOUSING PRESERVATION, DISASTER HOUSING RECOVERY, AND MORE. LEADING THE DISASTER HOUSING RECOVERY COALITION (DHRC) OF OVER 900 ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE HOUSING RECOVERY REACHES THE LOWEST-INCOME AND MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE TOO OFTEN NEGLECTED IN RECOVERY EFFORTS. IN 2023, NLIHC AND THE DHRC SENT OR SIGNED ON TO SIX LETTERS TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND SUBMITTED THREE SETS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS TO FEMA AND HUD. IN OCTOBER, NLIHC AND THE NATIONAL HOUSING LAW PROJECT (NHLP) RELEASED A REPORT EXPLORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HUD'S RAPID UNSHELTERED SURVIVOR HOUSING (RUSH) PROGRAM, A NEW INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO FILL GAPS IN FEDERAL ASSISTANCE BY ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY DISASTERS. GROWING AND EXPANDING THE INFLUENCE OF THE NLIHC-LED OPPORTUNITY STARTS AT HOME MULTISECTOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAMPAIGN AND ADVANCING THE CAMPAIGN'S PRIORITY HOUSING SOLUTIONS. UPDATING AND MAINTAINING