Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced the Homes for All Act of 2019, which will dramatically expand the public housing stock in the U.S. and guarantee housing as a human right. The bill will authorize construction of 12 million new public housing and private, permanently affordable rental units. The bill will make a historic investment of $800 billion over the course of 10 years with the goal of building 8.5 million new units of public housing. The bill will also invest an additional $200 billion in the Housing Trust Fund to help local communities build 3.5 million new private, permanent affordable housing projects for low and extremely-low income families.
The bill also creates a new Community Control and Anti-Displacement Fund and appropriates $200 billion over 10 years to protect families from gentrification, prevent displacement and stabilize neighborhoods.
Public housing operating and capital expenses would shift to mandatory spending and no longer be subject to annual appropriations from Congress. The bill would also repeal the Faircloth Amendment, which prohibits new public housing units above the amount of units owned, operated or assisted by a PHA as of October 1, 1999.
