Advocacy Priorities
Mercy Housing has four decades of experience developing, financing, and managing affordable housing. We serve over 45,000 residents in 21 states. Safe affordable rental apartments are critical to alleviating poverty, improving health outcomes, meeting workforce needs, supporting veterans, and helping seniors to age in grace.
As part of our dedication to serving those in need, Mercy Housing advocates for issues affecting our organization and the residents within our communities, including:
- Passing the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit provisions.
- Increasing allowable developer fees with State Housing and Finance Authorities.
- Balancing and prioritizing both preservation and production funding available through State Housing and Finance Authorities.
- Improving permanent supportive housing unit referrals with coordinated entry by lowering barriers, minimizing bureaucracy, and reducing wait times for referrals.
- Increasing allowable cash flow distributions with state and local partners.
- Mitigating insurance cost escalations with HUD and the White House.
Continuing Policy Priorities
Pioneer Affordable Housing as a Platform For Improved Health
Combining healthcare partnerships with preventative health and wellness programming reduces hospital visits, increases longevity, and improves quality of life. Housing-healthcare models keep communities stronger and more resilient.
- Support our healthcare partners’ advocacy efforts to continue robust funding for Medicare
and Medicaid. - Advocate for expansion of service-enriched housing vouchers between HUD and Health and Human Services (HHS), modeled on the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
Improve Federal Support For Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
We advocate for more resources, participation and access, and improvements to CDFIs by partnering with CDFI Coalition and Opportunity Finance Network (OFN).
- Increase no-cost/low-cost funding for the CDFI program.
- Support funding for the Capital Magnet Fund.
- Partner with OFN during appropriations collective advocacy efforts.
- Advocate for CRA reform that supports the expansion of the CDFI industry.
Advocate For More Racially Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Housing
To end systemic racism and housing segregation, legislation and operational reinforcements are needed to support renters and rental housing providers.
- Demand equitable investments in communities of color to create healthy, vibrant, and resilient communities.
- Increase wealth-building strategies for low-income communities of color.
- Work toward ending systemic racism in housing by reforming zoning to allow mixed-income communities and increasing the mobility of families with vouchers.
