By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer

After a contentious battle over the 2019 budget, federal lawmakers agreed to increase funding for tenant-based rental assistance, including Section 8 rental vouchers.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, most U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture housing programs will get slight funding increases. However, housing for the disabled and Section 521 rental assistance will see modest budget cuts.

The overall funding increases are good news for affordable housing advocates especially since HUD had been scheduled for budget cuts by the Trump administration since 2017.

President Trump has also called for entirely cutting popular block grant programs such as community development block grants (CDBG), Native American housing block grants, and the HOME Investment Partnership program, which helps state and local governments build low-income housing.

To read more, go here: https://www.curbed.com/2019/2/15/18226253/budget-deal-affordable-housing-hud