Kelly, Gallego, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand Affordable Housing Access in Fast-Growing Cities

Despite population booms in recent decades, cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas receive far fewer affordable housing vouchers

Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), along with Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), introduced the Housing Vouchers Fairness Act to update the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) decades-old Housing Choice Voucher allocation formula that disadvantages cities like Phoenix. 

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, is the federal government’s major program for helping low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Currently, the federal formulas that allocate these vouchers are based on outdated population calculations dating back to the 2000 census. For example, Phoenix, the nation’s fifth largest city, currently receives only 7,487 vouchers; yet Philadelphia, the nation’s sixth largest city, receives over 22,000—three times as many. 

The Housing Vouchers Fairness Act corrects this disparity by authorizing an additional $2 billion in funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program to ensure the public housing authorities that represent the country’s 25 fastest-growing cities with a population of over 100,000 can procure enough vouchers to meet the needs of their populations. Fast-growing areas that stand to benefit include the Phoenix-Mesa Metro Area, Dallas-Fort Worth Metro Area, Houston, Jacksonville, Austin, and Charlotte. 

“Arizona’s population is growing fast, but the support we get for affordable housing hasn’t kept up. Too many families in the Phoenix area are being squeezed by rising costs, and it’s time federal resources matched the need,” said Kelly. “We’re fixing an outdated system and making sure Arizona gets its fair share so more families can afford a safe place to live.” 

“Growing up, I watched my single mom work tirelessly to afford a safe apartment for my sisters and me. But for too many Arizonans, no matter how hard they work, rents continue to rise and the only hope for assistance is at the end of a years-long waitlist,” said Gallego. “My bill finally addresses the disparities in the federal housing voucher program so that more Arizonans can get into safe, affordable homes. This is just the first step in my fight to bring down housing costs in Arizona and across the country.”  

“Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and as our population expands, so does our need for affordable housing,” said Cortez Masto. “Current housing voucher programs aren’t cutting it, and this legislation would fill that gap to help working Nevada families find homes.” 

“For years, outdated federal policies have prevented Nevadans from receiving the financial support they need to afford a home,” said Rosen. “I’m proud to support this legislation to ensure fast-growing states like Nevada get their fair share of national housing vouchers, making it easier for families to put a roof over their heads. I’ll continue working to find commonsense ways we can lower housing costs for hardworking Nevadans.” 

“The number of Affordable Housing Choice Vouchers has lagged behind increased demand in fast-growing cities such as those in Southern Nevada,” said Titus. “Access to affordable, clean and safe rental housing is one of our most pressing issues. This bill directs HUD to provide funding for additional vouchers to the 25 fastest-growing metropolitan areas of 100,000 people or more. I will continue working to ensure housing is treated as a right, not a privilege.” 

“Arizona’s population is growing fast, especially in the East Valley. As our population grows, so does the demand for affordable housing. But for too long, the federal government has relied on outdated formulas for housing vouchers that favor coastal cities–leaving Arizona families without the support they need,” said Stanton. “Our Housing Vouchers Fairness Act finally rights this wrong, and will help more families find affordable, safe and stable housing.” 

“Everyone deserves a safe, affordable, dignified place to live,” said Ansari. “For so many Arizonans, home ownership is out of reach and rents are skyrocketing. I’m proud to join Senator Gallego in introducing the Housing Vouchers Fairness Act to affirm and expand housing as a human right and bring more housing vouchers to Arizonans. In Congress, I will always fight to lower housing costs for my community and for working class Americans across the country.” 

The Housing Choice Vouchers Act is supported by the City of Phoenix Housing, the National Housing Law Project, the Arizona Housing Coalition, and the National Association of REALTORS.

The full text of the bill can be found here.