by Scott Sowle Oct. 23, 2005

Members of the US House of Representatives will be voting on the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) regulatory reform legislation (H.R. 1461) which includes the Affordable Housing Fund during the week of Oct. 24th.

SL Streets learned from the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign that sponsors of the bill have agreed to demands made by the Republican Study Committee. This agreement will prohibit non-profit and public organizations that do voter registration, with their own funds, from applying for and receiving grants from the Affordable Housing Fund to build or preserve affordable housing.

The legislation will prohibit any non-profit or public organization from applying for the funding that have engaged in any voter registration up to a year before application and maintains an affiliation with any organization that engages in voter registration.

For-profit entities are specifically exempted from these restrictions.

It is vital that all organizations, non-profit and for-profit are enabled to receive these funds. With the loss and or cuts of other housing funds in jeopardy this month the low-income and homeless can not afford to see another cut in affordable housing funds.

If you do not want to see this funding cut it is urged that you immediately contact your US Representative.

(c) SL Streets 2005