LeadingAge is very excited that both sides of Capitol Hill are getting to work on the 2017 spending bill that covers senior housing programs. The Senate is using some creative “packaging” to facilitate passage of spending bills on its side of the Hill. The Transportation/HUD bill is being paired with Military Construction/Veterans Administration and the vehicle for both is a hollowed-out version of the Transportation/HUD bill the House passed last year for fiscal 2016.
The package will be on the Senate floor next week. Linda Couch, LeadingAge, reports that the Senate bill includes expansion of the Rental Assistance Demonstration to include project-based rental assistance contract properties (PRACs). LeadingAge strongly supports and advocated for these provisions to make PRACs eligible for the demonstration and to provide $4 million for these conversions. Participating in the demonstration could help Section 202 properties with PRACs to preserve their affordable properties.
Linda reports the Senate bill also funds all renewals and that there are some good voucher provisions, including for veterans. So we are generally supportive of the Senate spending bill.
Not to be outdone, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation/HUD will begin marking up its version of the 2017 spending bill next week, with full committee mark-up possible the week after. LeadingAge is working to make sure the House bill contains the same favorable provisions for senior housing as the Senate’s.