Bills Introduced to Expand, Improve Housing Credit; Increase Affordable Housing Funding
(April 22, 2025) In a tremendous show of support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) was introduced on April 18th with 113 cosponsors joining the bill’s lead sponsors, Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Don Beyer (D-VA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).
The bill, H.R. 2725, would increase Housing Credit authority for the 9 percent Housing Credit program by reinstating the 12.5 percent cap increase and further expanding authority by 50 percent, lower the bond financing threshold for 4 percent Housing Credit developments (also known as the 50 percent test) to 25 percent, and allow basis boosts for properties serving extremely low-income households for developments in rural and Native American areas and for 4 percent Housing Credit properties that need the basis boost for financial feasibility at the discretion of the state agency.
LeadingAge supports the bill and looks forward to the introduction of Senate companion legislation.
A second bill, introduced on April 21st, aims to ensure "housing for all." Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) announced the reintroduction of the Housing for All Act, a sweeping bill to increase funding authorization levels for affordable housing programs.
The bill (S.1477 and H.R. 2945) would authorize funding increases for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, the National Housing Trust Fund, the HOME Investment Partnerships program, the Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities program, Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, the Emergency Solutions Grant program, and Continuums of Care.
"The Housing for All Act is a common sense, critically needed response to our country's shortage of affordable homes—particularly for low-income older adults," said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, in Senator Padilla's statement upon the introduction of the bill. "Our nonprofit members have years-long waiting lists—which means that many low-income older adults die before receiving relief in the form of an available, federally assisted house. The programs and policies supported by Senator Padilla's bill will reverse course on record levels of housing unaffordability."
Read the full statement and comments from Ms. Smith Sloan here.
Contact: Annalyse Komoroske Denio, akomoroskedenio@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866