By Eugene T. Lowe
July 27, 2009

The House Committee on Appropriations approved fiscal year 2010 funding for HUD housing and community development programs July 17. In the $47 billion provided to HUD for operations and programs, several programs would receive increases over their FY09 funding levels. In fact, many of the programs even exceed the Administration's budget requests.

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program would be funded at $4.6 billion, which is $174 million above the administration's request, and $725 million over the 2009 funding level. HOME would receive $2 billion, an increase of $175 million over both the President's request and last year's funding. Similarly, Homeless Assistance Grants would get $1.85 billion, an increase of $173 billion over FY09 and $56 million over the administration's request.

The President's budget did not include any funding for HOPE VI, the severely distressed public housing program, but instead as a replacement to the public housing program recommended $250 million for a Choice Neighborhood Initiative. The House Appropriations Committee, however, funded HOPE VI at $250 million, which is $130 million over last year's funding level. The Choice Neighborhood Initiative will need to be authorized through legislation, which the administration has not yet proposed.

Other programs receiving funding increases:

• Public Housing Capital Fund: $2.5 billion, $256 million above the administration's request and $50 million above 2009.

• Public Housing Operating Fund: $4.8 billion, $200 million above the administration's request and $345 million above 2009.

• Section 8 Tenant Based Vouchers: $18.2 billion, $406 million above the administration's request and $1.2 billion above 2009 to support 2.1 million vouchers to individuals and families.

• Veterans Affairs Housing Vouchers; $75 million, the same as 2009, but $75 million above the administration's request, to provide 10,000 housing vouchers for homeless veterans.

• Section 8 Project Based Vouchers: $8.7 billion, $600 million above the administration's request and $1.6 billion above 2009, to provide affordable housing to 1.3 million low-income families and individuals, two-thirds of whom are elderly or disabled.

• Housing for the Elderly: $1 billion, $235 million above the administration's request and the same as the funding level provided in 2009.

• Housing for the Disabled: $350 million, $100 million above both the administration's request and 2009.

• Brownfields Redevelopment: $25 million, $15 million above 2009 and $25 million above the administration's request.

The full House is expected to take up the bill before the August recess, while the Senate Transportation-HUD subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations Committee are tentatively scheduled to consider a funding bill the last week of July.