Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced their co-sponsorship of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, legislation to address the growing concern around rising home prices, lack of access to home-buying assistance, and the widening wealth and homeownership gaps in Virginia and throughout the country. The bill would provide federal grants, administered through local entities, to aid first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home—including downpayment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.

“Homeownership is one of the most powerful pathways to accumulate wealth, but first-generation homebuyers – predominantly people of color – still face steep obstacles to achieving it and punching their ticket to the middle class,” said Sen. Warner. “The Downpayment Toward Equity Act could serve as a powerful tool to level the playing field, close the racial wealth gap, and help more families achieve their American Dream.”   

“I was a fair housing attorney in Richmond for nearly two decades, and I saw up close the impact that years of discriminatory housing policies had on families’ ability to purchase a home and benefit from the wealth building that comes from homeownership,” said Sen. Kaine. “While we’ve made significant progress in combating discriminatory policies since then, their lasting effects continue to be evident in the wide homeownership and wealth gaps that people of color face. The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would take a substantial step in addressing these gaps, by helping first-generation homebuyers overcome the disadvantages they face when trying to purchase a home.”

The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would administer grants of up to $20,000 to qualified first-generation homebuyers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Additionally, HUD would have the ability to increase these grants for socially and economically disadvantaged homebuyers. States would receive 75% of the funds each year, distributed by population, median home prices, and racial disparities in homeownership, and the remaining 25% would be competitively awarded to CDFIs, MDIs, and other nonprofit, mission-driven entities that target services to minority and low-income populations.

Led by Sens. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), the bill is also currently co-sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Accompanying legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters and has received enthusiastic support from housing, homeownership, and racial equity organizations across the country, including the National Coalition for the Homeless, National Consumer Law Center, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc., Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, VA, Habitat for Humanity International, Local Initiatives Support Corp., Mortgage Bankers Association, National Housing Conference, National NeighborWorks Association, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Association of Realtors, National Council of State Housing Agencies, National Coalition for the Homeless, National Consumer Law Center, and others.

Sens. Warner and Kaine are longtime supporters of initiatives to assist first-generation homebuyers. The senators introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominantly Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. The LIFT Act will establish a program at HUD, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income to increase access to homeownership for millions of families.

Text of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act is available here

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, LIFT will allow individuals traditionally underrepresented in the housing market to grow equity twice as fast. 

“Homeownership is one of the key ways Americans build capital and wealth. Unfortunately, racism and systemic discrimination in our housing laws have put this opportunity out of reach for far too many families of color,” said Sen. Warner. “The LIFT Act will help narrow the racial wealth gap by allowing qualified home buyers to build equity – and wealth – at twice the rate of a conventional 30-year mortgage.”

“It’s about time Congress took bold steps to support the American dream of homeownership for working class families that for too long have been left behind, which will not only allow more hardworking Americans to build generational wealth but also help close the racial wealth gap,” said Rep. Cleaver. “The LIFT Act builds upon President Biden’s economic agenda that focuses on building our economy from the bottom up and middle out, allowing more families to qualify for homeownership and build equity and stability in their home at an accelerated rate. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Warner and his colleagues in the Senate, as we seek to ensure every American has an opportunity to share in the prosperity of this great nation.”

“Homeownership is a key tool for Americans to grow their wealth and build economic stability, but for far too many people, this goal remains out of reach. This is especially true for people of color – which is why we need to address the legacy of discrimination in our housing policy. This bill will help level the playing field for first-time, first-generation buyers and empower them to build more wealth,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Housing is dignity and security for hardworking families in Georgia and across the nation, and owning a home is a long-held pathway to building generational wealth. But too many families have been left out of the American dream of buying a home, and Congress should act to make it a reality for more people,” said Sen. Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the LIFT Act to help put the dream of homeownership in reach for working families in Georgia and nationwide, boosting our economy and helping provide families safety and security. Let’s get this done.”

“This is about helping first-time homebuyers pay down their mortgages and build wealth in their homes more quickly. I'm teaming up with Senator Warner to help low-income Georgians and first-time homebuyers build generational wealth,” Sen. Ossoff said.

“Homeownership is not only a key part of the American dream but also one of the best ways to build generational wealth,” said Sen. Kaine, a former fair housing attorney. “I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this bill to help first-generation homebuyers, particularly those from communities of color, build wealth and help address the racial wealth gap in our country.”

First introduced in 2021, the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income. Treasury would subsidize the interest rate and origination fees associated with these 20-year mortgages so that the monthly payment would be in line with a 30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgage.

For example: A first time homebuyer of modest means who purchases a property for $210,000 is likely to put down $10,000 and take out a $200,000 mortgage. In today’s market, a lender would offer this borrower a 6.5% 30 year FHA insured mortgage, for which the borrower would pay an annual 0.55% FHA insurance fee and a 1.75% up-front insurance fee, which would be folded into the mortgage. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,377. Under the LIFT program, the lender would instead offer this homebuyer a 5.5% 20-year FHA insured mortgage, which would include an up-front 4.00% FHA fee that would be folded into the loan and no annual FHA premium. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,430. By paying roughly the equivalent monthly payment, a borrower with a LIFT loan would build equity more than twice as fast.

By allowing borrowers to build equity through their homes at twice the rate of a comparable 30-year loan without meaningfully increasing the monthly payment, LIFT will improve the power of homeownership for millions of families. Coupled with well-targeted down-payment assistance, the LIFT program will make meaningful progress in narrowing the racial wealth gap, expanding and greatly strengthening the wealth-building benefits of homeownership in communities too long left behind by our existing financial structures.

A copy of the legislation is available here. A summary is available here.

This legislation has the support of a number of organizations including the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), the Center for Responsible Lending.

“The LIFT Act would be a groundbreaking new approach to help close the nation’s significant and troubling shortfall in homeownership among people of color and the associated substantial wealth racial gap.  Focusing eligibility on first-time, first-generation homebuyers would target this assistance to families and individuals most in need of assistance while also narrowing racial homeownership gaps. And the use of subsidies to make a 20-year mortgage as affordable as a 30-year loan puts homebuyers on a path to rapidly accumulate home equity while also making homeownership less risky. The proposed approach is also highly cost effective by leveraging federal subsidies to enable homeowners to build wealth over time more quickly and effectively,” said Chris Herbert, Managing Director, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Homeownership is the major source of wealth and assets for most American families. Senator Warner's proposed LIFT Act is a worthy initiative that can help families build equity faster and Opportunity Finance Network is pleased to endorse this legislation,” said Jennifer A. Vasiloff, Chief External Affairs Officer, Opportunity Finance Network.

“Homeownership is the best way to build wealth, especially for lower and moderate income households and families of color, and LIFT supercharges that wealth-building. By helping homeowners get a 20-year mortgage with a lower monthly payment consistent with a 30-year mortgage, LIFT preserves affordability and supports homeownership, but also allows homeowners to rapidly accumulate equity in their homes. LIFT is among the most effective ways policymakers have to address the nation’s pernicious problem of large and widening economic disparities,” said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics.

“One of the most important benefits of homeownership is the ability to build wealth. In fact, it is the primary way millions of middle-income Americans have achieved economic stability for 75 years. While legally sanctioned racial discrimination seems like a thing of the past, outlawed in the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the reality is that the housing wealth affect continues to disadvantage people of color whose parents and grandparents never benefitted from a wide range of government programs that made homeownership possible to most Americans,” said David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference. “The LIFT bill evens that playing field and will not only help close the wealth gap, but it will strengthen the economy for all Americans. Senator Warner has a long history of thinking outside the box and writing legislation that makes a difference in new and innovative ways. The LIFT Act is another example of his leadership.”

“The LIFT Act allows more first-time, first-generation prospective homeowners to realize their American Dream. This creates more generational wealth across different communities and supports low to middle-income Americans. AREAA is proud to support the continued efforts by Senator Warner to pass this legislation,” said Kurt Nishimura, President, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).

“NAHREP is pleased to support the re-introduction of the LIFT Homebuyers Act. The bill’s goal of helping homeowners expedite earning equity in their properties means the opportunity to build intergenerational wealth is all that more achievable,” said Gary Acosta, Co-Founder & CEO, NAHREP. “NAHREP is committed to helping Latinos realize their economic potential through homeownership and is encouraged by Senator Warner, Senator Kaine, Senator Warnock, Senator Ossoff, and Senator Van Hollen’s commitment to the same goal as evidenced in the LIFT Homebuyers Act.”

“The Virginia Housing Alliance applauds Senator Warner’s leadership and commitment to ensuring that the wealth building opportunity of homeownership becomes a reality for many more Americans through the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers Act (LIFT Act). In Virginia, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic white households is 73% compared to just 48% for Black households. The LIFT Act will provide a transformative opportunity to close this gap and make the American dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of first time homebuyers in Virginia,” said Brian Koziol, Executive Director, Virginia Housing Alliance.

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WASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent letters to the Air Force, Army, Navy, and to the Department of Defense (DoD) regarding their implementation of privatized housing reforms and tenant protections for servicemembers and their families. After hearing from military families in Virginia about the hazardous and unsafe living conditions in many privatized military housing units that included leaking roofs, mold, and rodents, Sens. Warner and Kaine championed housing reforms, including the “Tenant Bill of Rights” in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and the Senators have continued to push for housing support in subsequent defense bills.

Despite passing legislation to improve these conditions, a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that while DoD has made progress in implementing provisions, “gaps in guidance and training remain.” The Senators are urging DoD and each military branch to take a range of steps, including the necessary actions outlined in the report, to ensure that they are meeting their obligations towards servicemembers and properly implementing all necessary reforms. Specifically, the GAO focused on implementation of three reforms in order to give servicemembers and their families more leverage when dealing with unsafe and inadequate living conditions:

  • More detailed guidance on the formal dispute resolution process;
  • Improved guidance on the role of tenant advocates;
  • Better oversight of the condition of private housing units.

The Senators also called on DoD and the services to better incorporate resident feedback into the implementation process of the various protections, in order to inform continued progress and highlight areas for additional reform.

“Having spent years addressing privatized housing concerns from multiple fronts – hearing from families firsthand who are dealing with challenges, and helping them to address those; working with installation leadership to push for greater oversight and accountability for these housing projects; and demanding action from the privatized housing companies – we have been incredibly disturbed by some of the conditions that members of the military and their families have been subjected to,” the Senators wrote.

“The purpose of these reforms and continued Congressional oversight is to provide long-overdue improvement to the experience that military members and their families have with the privatized housing system,” they continued. “It is vital that the protections and reforms that we have put in place are implemented in a way that works for residents, and there must be a continual effort to examine the use of these reforms and processes.”

The letters include a series of questions aimed at better understanding the progress being made in implementation as well as better understanding what is causing certain delays. Among the questions are inquiries about the branches’ process when enacting these reforms as well as questions on what is being done to standardize implementation across the country so that all members of the military have access to, and can utilize, the same protections.

A copy of the letters can be found here

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to the CIM Group, a real estate owner and developer, highlighting the concerns of tenants at an affordable housing complex in Alexandria, who have reported declining conditions and increases in evictions and rents.

“We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property,” wrote the Senators. “Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to ‘pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises’ – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a ‘covered property’ as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.”

The Senators urged CIM to quickly address these concerns directly with residents and work with tenants to resolve any outstanding concerns. The Senators highlighted the need to tackle these issues in the midst of a nationwide affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017.

They continued. “As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase accessibility to affordable housing. Earlier this year, they announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Sen. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination.

A copy of the letter is available here and text is below:

Dear Ms. Chang,

We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property. Tenants of Southern Towers have raised concerns regarding declining conditions, unresolved maintenance requests, and significant pricing changes. As such, we urge you to take immediate action to address these issues by engaging directly and frequently with the tenants and working quickly to resolve outstanding concerns.

As you know, Southern Towers is a five-building apartment complex located in Alexandria, Virginia. For years, it has been home to generations of immigrants and has become a haven of affordable housing where families can achieve economic stability. In 2020, CIM purchased the property with significant financial backing from Freddie Mac. Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to “pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises”  – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a “covered property” as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.  

These issues are all the more staggering when considering that our nation is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017.  As the vast share of the undersupply is concentrated in low-income, high-opportunity markets, we know that the burden of this crisis is falling largely on low- and moderate-income families. It is more important than ever that our existing affordable housing stock is safe and available for those that need it most, including complexes like Southern Towers.

As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner. As CIM refers to itself as a “community-focused real estate investor”, we also urge CIM to offer assistance to tenants at risk of eviction by connecting them with government resources in an effort to keep more individuals and families in their homes. 

It must be a priority that our most vulnerable communities are protected from displacement and have access to safe and affordable housing. We look forward to working with you to ensure that Southern Towers is a quality, affordable community for the tenants that call it home.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $98,345,447 in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program.

“All Virginians should have a safe place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will support community development projects, improve affordable housing options, and help more Virginians find a home.”

Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase access to affordable housing. Earlier this month, the senators announced over $54 million in federal funding to improve affordable housing throughout Virginia. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

A breakdown of the funding by program is below.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): The CDBG program provides flexible funding to states, cities, and counties to support community development, including infrastructure, economic development projects, housing construction or rehabilitation, public facilities upgrades, homeowner assistance, and more. 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$18,806,749

Prince William County

$2,597,203

Loudoun County

$1,405,312

Henrico County

$1,652,427

Fairfax County

$5,682,469

Chesterfield County

$1,562,771

Arlington County

$1,340,757

Winchester

$250,138

Waynesboro

$172,162

Virginia Beach

$2,014,460

Suffolk

$496,361

Staunton

$319,410

Roanoke

$1,785,245

Richmond

$4,341,903

Radford

$204,683

Portsmouth

$1,544,932

Petersburg

$585,507

Norfolk

$4,427,961

Newport News

$1,278,265

Lynchburg

$708,843

Hopewell

$236,121

Harrisonburg

$506,946

Hampton

$914,517

Fredericksburg

$201,420

Danville

$853,442

Colonial Heights

$96,493

Christiansburg

$130,404

Chesapeake

$1,085,306

Charlottesville

$410,468

Bristol

$259,836

Blacksburg

$554,576

Alexandria

$1,094,483

TOTAL

$57,521,570

HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME): The HOME Program provides grants to states and localities that communities use - often in partnership with nonprofits - to build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing and provides direct rental assistance to low-income individuals.

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$11,249,059

Prince William County

$987,738

Loudoun County

$515,805

Henrico County

$1,024,604

Fairfax County

$2,385,371

Chesterfield County

$648,731

Arlington County

$861,407

Winchester

$688,202

Virginia Beach

$1,174,149

Suffolk

$426,831

Roanoke

$695,073

Richmond

$1,585,901

Portsmouth

$510,989

Norfolk

$1,413,815

Newport News

$858,556

Lynchburg

$378,083

Hampton

$575,846

Danville

$335,524

Chesapeake

$602,087

Charlottesville

$785,286

Blacksburg

$634,440

Alexandria

$712,411

TOTAL

$29,049,908

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): The ESG program provides funding for emergency shelter for people in crisis, outreach and essential services to those living on the streets, re-housing services, and homeless prevention programs.

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$3,205,897

Prince William County

$231,683

Fairfax County

$520,211

Virginia Beach

$172,983

Roanoke

$159,824

Richmond

$393,268

Norfolk

$389,791

TOTAL

$5,073,657


Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and support services to low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$1,631,954

Virginia Beach

$3,058,259

Richmond

$2,010,099

TOTAL

$6,700,312

 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $54,074,769 in federal funding to improve affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Capital Improvements’ Capital Fund, which annually provides funds to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and for management improvements.

“Affordable housing should be accessible to all Virginians,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help make improvements to affordable housing units and ensure more Virginians have a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

  • $14,273,592 for the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $10,336,316 for the Norfolk Housing & Redevelopment Authority
  • $4,824,916 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $3,639,100 for the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $2,129,956 for the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $2,021,944 for the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,679,717 for the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,539,679 for the Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,528,841 for the Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,273,668 for the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,210,188 for the Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,189,457 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,154,475 for the Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $1,144,523 for the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $998,220 for the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $802,959 for the Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority
  • $783,482 for the Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $729,287 for the Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $672,297 for the Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $598,157 for the Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $597,603 for the Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $374,675 for the Williamsburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $285,899 for the Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $186,660 for the Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $92,323 for the Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • $6,835 for the Franklin Redevelopment & Housing Authority

Capital grants can be used to address maintenance needs, reduce vacancies, relocate residents, fund programs supporting economic self-sufficiency, support resident security, safety, and homeownership activities, integrate utility management and energy saving measures, and make other improvements.

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase access to affordable housing. In December, they announced $842,000 in federal funding to help veterans access affordable housing and $940,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $940,732 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. The funding is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Vouchers program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically helps people with disabilities between ages 18-62 access housing.

“Every Virginian, including those living with a disability, deserves a decent place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians find a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

  • $502,140 for the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which will be distributed across Virginia
  • $228,485 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $174,521 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $35,586 for the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long worked to increase affordable housing in Virginia. In September, the senators announced over $4.2 million for affordable housing in the Commonwealth. In July, the Senators announced nearly $800,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $4,275,080 in federal funding to help more Virginians access affordable housing. The funding will be awarded to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) across the Commonwealth through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers program.  

“Rising rents and home prices are making it harder and harder for Virginians to find affordable housing options,” the senators said. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians across the Commonwealth find safe, affordable housing.”    

The funding is distributed as follows:

  • $827,363 to the Virginia Housing Development Authority
  • $590,155 to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • $307,394 to the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $246,989 to the Arlington County Department of Human Services
  • $275,732 to the Prince William County Office of HCD
  • $152,811 to the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $133,126 to the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $168,800 to the Virginia Beach Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation
  • $254,170 to the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $133,190 to the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $61,800 to the Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $104,987 to the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $163,219 to the Loudoun County Department of Family Services
  • $89,254 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $56,761 to the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $69,356 to the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $61,615 to the Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $62,381 to the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $66,306 to the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • $61,917 to the County of Albemarle Office of Housing
  • $46,777 to the Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $37,367 to the Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $49,789 to the James City County Office of Housing
  • $34,459 to the Buckingham Housing Development Corp. Inc.
  • $22,586 to the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $32,885 to the Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • $30,231 to the Staunton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $23,624 to the Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $20,335 to the Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $23,822 to the Covington Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $27,355 to the Accomack-Northampton Regional Housing Authority
  • $19,131 to the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon
  • $19,393 to the Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) help low-income families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities afford housing of their choice. These new vouchers are an additional allocation of HCVs and will allow a greater number of Virginians to access safe and decent housing across the Commonwealth.

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to expand affordable housing in the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, the senators announced nearly $115 million for affordable housing in Virginia. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Sen. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families who use HCVs from discrimination.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $789,913 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access housing. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Voucher program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically assists non-elderly persons with disabilities between ages 18 to 62.

“Rents and home prices have skyrocketed, making it harder and harder for Virginians to find affordable housing,” said the senators. “We need to make sure all Virginians, especially those from vulnerable populations, have a safe place to live, and this funding is critical to doing that.”

A breakdown of the funding is below:

  • $441,684 for the Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $266,670 for the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • $81,559 for the County of Albemarle/Office of Housing

Sen. Kaine began his career as a lawyer specializing in the representation of people who had been denied housing due to their race, disability, or family status, and has long worked alongside Sen. Warner to increase affordable housing in Virginia. Earlier this year, the senators announced nearly $115 million for affordable housing in Virginia. They’ve also introduced legislation  that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced the designation of $9,000,000 in federal funding to three Virginia-based organizations helping to provide affordable housing and services to low-income individuals. The funds were administered by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund through the department’s Capital Magnet Fund.

“Affordable, safe housing should be available to every Virginian,” the senators said. “This funding will allow Virginia organizations to continue their crucial work of securing housing for those in need.”  

The funds will be broken down as follows:

  • $5,000,000 for the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, Inc. in Arlington, VA. 
  • $2,000,000 for AHC Inc. in Arlington, VA. 
  • $2,000,000 for the Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, VA.

This funding comes in addition to the nearly $115 million in funding for affordable housing in Virginia announced earlier this year. Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase affordable housing in Virginia. The Senators have introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close the widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Also today, Kaine led the introduction of the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2022, which would expand protections under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to include banning discrimination based on source of income, giving more individuals and families access to affordable housing and a shot at economic mobility.

Sen. Warner has also been a leader in Congress for CDFI investment. To combat the hemorrhaging of jobs and economic opportunities during the pandemic, Sen. Warner led a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act. Sen. Warner was later able to secure provisions from the bill in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, providing an unprecedented $12 billion in funding for CDFIs. Last week, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to help unlock more equity and long-term financial capital for CDFIs to boost economic growth in low-income communities.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $114,700,190 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase affordable housing across the Commonwealth.

“All Virginians deserve access to safe and affordable housing, but rents and home prices have skyrocketed across Virginia in recent years,” the senators said. “We’re glad that this funding will go to supporting the construction of new affordable housing units and help Virginians access more housing options.”

The funding was awarded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), and Housing Trust Fund (HTF).

Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase affordable housing. Warner and Kaine strongly advocated for increases in federal funding for these programs. Warner and Kaine have also introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close the widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

A breakdown of the funding based on program is below.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): The CDBG program provides flexible funding to states, cities, and counties to support community development, including infrastructure, economic development projects, housing construction or rehabilitation, public facilities upgrades, homeowner assistance, and more. 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$18,813,102

Alexandria

$1,143,364

Blacksburg

$534,673

Bristol

$269,250

Charlottesville

$414,907

Chesapeake

$1,141,624

Christiansburg

$125,664

Colonial Heights

$106,471

Danville

$852,803

Fredericksburg

$203,268

Hampton

$903,077

Harrisonburg

$538,229

Hopewell

$225,305

Lynchburg

$714,845

Newport News

$1,287,677

Norfolk

$4,435,015

Petersburg

$583,253

Portsmouth

$1,539,655

Radford

$183,174

Richmond

$4,474,570

Roanoke

$1,818,463

Staunton

$317,340

Suffolk

$488,891

Virginia Beach

$1,968,186

Waynesboro

$187,537

Winchester

$275,326

Arlington County

$1,333,133

Chesterfield County

$1,496,877

Fairfax County

$5,918,926

Henrico County

$1,645,428

Loudoun County

$1,379,452

Prince William County

$2,636,075

TOTAL

$57,955,560

 

HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME): The HOME program partners with nonprofits to build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing and provides direct rental assistance to low-income individuals. The Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bill included $1.5 billion for the HOME program and was the highest level of funding in the past decade.

 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$12,031,604

Alexandria

$693,431

Blacksburg

$651,299

Charlottesville

$747,825

Chesapeake

$613,692

Danville

$328,742

Hampton

$570,404

Lynchburg

$421,034

Newport News

$871,322

Norfolk

$1,378,254

Portsmouth

$464,737

Richmond

$1,764,354

Roanoke

$760,067

Suffolk

$465,021

Virginia Beach

$1,163,266

Winchester

$713,163

Arlington County

$823,984

Chesterfield County

$679,539

Fairfax County

$2,471,231

Henrico County

$991,558

Prince William County

$1,015,307

TOTAL

$29,619,834

 

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): The ESG program provides funding for emergency shelter for people in crisis, outreach and essential services to those living on the streets, re-housing services, and homeless prevention programs.

 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$3,048,024

Norfolk

$382,849

Richmond

$384,355

Roanoke

$156,541

Virginia Beach

$171,520

Fairfax County

$515,135

Henrico County

$146,882

Prince William County

$226,857

TOTAL

$5,032,163

 

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and support services to low-income individuals living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$1,582,493

Richmond

$1,794,492

Virginia Beach

$2,676,916

TOTAL

$6,053,901

Housing Trust Fund (HTF): The HTF provides funding for construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low- and very low-income households and requires HTF units to have a minimum affordability period of 30 years.

 

City/County

Amount of Funding

Commonwealth of Virginia

$16,038,732

 

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $65,591,635 in federal funding for Virginia to make homes more energy efficient and help lower utility costs. The funding will be awarded through the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which was expanded under the bipartisan infrastructure law‘s historic federal investments in upgrading our power infrastructure and reducing carbon emissions.

Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law in the coming weeks. This federal funding will allow the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to partner with organizations across the Commonwealth who provide weatherization services to make homes more energy efficient. The program will save an average of $372 in annual energy savings for American families. It will also help low-income families—who spend an average of 13.9% of their income on energy costs—save money.

“Virginia continues to benefit from the bipartisan infrastructure law,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will be used to make homes more energy efficient, help Virginia families save money by lowering their utility costs, and improve the health and safety of communities.”

This funding can be used for a variety of mechanical, building, electric and water, health and safety, and education measures, such as upgrading heating or cooling systems, installing energy efficient light sources, and installing insulation. 8,487 Virginia homes have been weatherized since 2010.

In addition to the $3.5 billion in funding for states across the country from the infrastructure law, the FY 2022 government funding bill included $313 million across the country for WAP. 

For information on how to apply, click here. For local providers in Virginia, click here.

  

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine today announced $350,000 in federal funding for Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME) in Richmond to support fair housing. The funding was awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Fair Housing Initiatives Program. Supplemental funding for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program was included in the American Rescue Plan , supported by Senators Warner and Kaine.

“Too many Virginians are denied equal housing opportunities because of illegal discrimination,” said Senator Kaine. “As a former fair housing attorney, I’ve seen how housing impacts a family’s health and financial well-being. I’m glad this funding will help HOME ensure more Virginians have access to safe and affordable housing.”

“Discriminatory practices should never prevent Virginians from accessing affordable and fair housing opportunities,” said Senator Warner. “I am glad to see these funds go towards providing HOME with the resources needed to help more Virginians in need.” 

Specifically, HOME will use the funding for virtual fair housing workshops and enforcement-related activities. HOME will also hold a Fair Housing Pandemic Roundtable and conduct interviews with Virginians who have been evicted or displaced during the pandemic.

As a former fair housing attorney, Kaine represented Virginians who were denied housing due to discrimination. His first case as a lawyer was referred by HOME, and he subsequently worked with the organization on dozens of other cases.

Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to increase affordable housing and homeownership. In September 2021, Warner and Kaine introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act, which would establish a new program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – by offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan. In October 2021, Warner and Kaine also joined their colleagues in introducing the Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021, which would provide federal grants to assist first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home, including downpayment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced their co-sponsorship of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021, legislation to address growing concern of rising home prices, lack of access to home-buying assistance, and the widening wealth and homeownership gaps in Virginia and throughout the country. This bill would provide federal grants, administered through local entities, to aid first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home—including downpayment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest. The Senators are pushing to include the legislation in the Build Back Better package.

“As a former fair housing attorney, I have long worked to increase access to affordable housing for Virginia families,” said Senator Kaine. “This bill will not only help first-time homebuyers achieve their dream of owning a home; it will also strengthen our communities by helping families build wealth and economic stability for generations to come. As I work with my colleagues to pass the Build Back Better bill, I will continue pushing to include this critical support to make homeownership more accessible for families across the Commonwealth.”

“The number one way Americans build wealth in this country is through homeownership, and this bill will make it easier for more people to own a home — particularly those who have been held back from this opportunity by structural inequality and racism for far too long. I am proud to join my colleagues in making the American dream more accessible to all Americans,” said Senator Warner.  

Introduced by Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), the bill is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH, Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Accompanying legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters and has received enthusiastic support from housing, homeownership, and racial equity organizations across the country.

The Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 has vast statewide and national support. A full list of endorsing organizations can be found here.

To find the full bill text of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021, click here and to find a one-pager, click here.

Last month, Warner and Kaine introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a new program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominantly Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. The LIFT Act will establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income to increase access to homeownership for millions of families.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, along with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a new program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly.  By offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, LIFT will allow them to grow equity twice as fast.   

“The number one way that middle class Americans build wealth is through homeownership, an opportunity that due to racism and structural inequality has been denied to too many families of color. Today, Black families in this country have an average net worth just one-tenth the size of their white counterparts,” said Sen. Warner. “The LIFT Act will help close the racial wealth gap by allowing qualified home buyers to build equity – and wealth – at twice the rate of a conventional 30-year mortgage.”

“Homeownership is a key tool for Americans to grow their wealth and build economic stability, but for far too many people, especially people of color, this goal remains out of reach. This is a direct result of the systemic racial discrimination that has plagued our nation’s housing policies for generations. It’s time to right this wrong and implement policies that will allow us to close this gap. I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will help all first-time, first-generation homebuyers succeed in building more wealth through homeownership with a 20-year mortgage. I’ll be working to pass this crucial bill to help bring more economic opportunity and prosperity to all,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“For too long, too many of our neighbors have been excluded from our nation’s housing market, unable to build equity and security after buying and moving into their first home,” said Sen. Reverend Warnock. “Home equity accumulation is one of the best ways to build generational wealth for hardworking families in Georgia and across the nation, and to close the racial wealth gap. For that, I am proud to stand alongside Sen. Warner in introducing the LIFT Act, which will help to level the playing field by making it easier for first-time homebuyers to build wealth all while boosting our state and national economy.”

“This is about helping first-time homebuyers pay down their mortgages and build wealth in their homes more quickly. I'm teaming up with Senator Warner to help low-income Georgians and first-time homebuyers build generational wealth,” Sen. Ossoff said.

“As a former fair housing attorney, I have long been passionate about giving more families access to stable housing and economic mobility,” said Sen. Kaine. “This bill will help families in their pursuit of the American dream by making home ownership more accessible to first-generation homebuyers and enabling them to build equity faster. I will continue working in the coming weeks to deliver Americans historic reforms to make housing more affordable.”

The LIFT Act will establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income. Working through Ginnie Mae, Treasury would subsidize the interest rate and origination fees associated with these 20-year mortgages such that the monthly payment would be in line with a 30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgage. By allowing borrowers to build equity through their homes at twice the rate of a comparable 30-year loan without meaningfully increasing the monthly payment, LIFT will improve the power of homeownership for millions of families. Coupled with well-targeted down-payment assistance, the LIFT program will make meaningful progress in closing the racial wealth gap, expanding and greatly strengthening the wealth-building benefits of homeownership in communities too long left behind by our existing financial structures.

A two-page summary of the bill is available here. Text of the legislation is available here.

“The LIFT Act would be a groundbreaking new approach to help close the nation’s significant and troubling shortfall in homeownership among people of color and the associated substantial wealth racial gap.  Focusing eligibility on first-time, first-generation homebuyers would target this assistance to families and individuals most in need of assistance while also narrowing racial homeownership gaps. And the use of subsidies to make a 20-year mortgage as affordable as a 30-year loan puts homebuyers on a path to rapidly accumulate home equity while also making homeownership less risky. The proposed approach is also highly cost effective by leveraging federal subsidies to enable homeowners to build wealth over time more quickly and effectively,” said Chris Herbert, Managing Director, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Homeownership is the major source of wealth and assets for most American families. Senator Warner's proposed LIFT Act is a worthy initiative that can help families build equity faster and Opportunity Finance Network is pleased to endorse this legislation,” Jennifer A. Vasiloff, Chief External Affairs Officer, Opportunity Finance Network, said.

“Homeownership is the best way to build wealth, especially for lower and moderate income households and families of color, and LIFT supercharges that wealth-building. By helping homeowners get a 20-year mortgage with a lower monthly payment consistent with a 30-year mortgage, LIFT preserves affordability and supports homeownership, but also allows homeowners to rapidly accumulate equity in their homes,” said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics. “LIFT is among the most effective ways policymakers have to address the nation’s pernicious problem of large and widening economic disparities.”

“The Virginia Housing Alliance applauds Senator Warner’s leadership and commitment to ensuring that the wealth building opportunity of homeownership becomes a reality for many more Americans through the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers Act (LIFT Act). In Virginia, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic white households is 73% compared to just 48% for Black households. The LIFT Act will provide a transformative opportunity to close this gap and make the American dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of first time homebuyers in Virginia,” said Brian Koziol, Executive Director, Virginia Housing Alliance. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $15,627,024 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help Virginians access affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) Program, and authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which both Senators voted to pass in March.

“We are glad to see this federal funding from the ARP go toward supporting Virginians who are feeling the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Senators said. “This critical aid will help ensure people across the Commonwealth have access to safe and affordable housing, while Virginia begins to build back better.”

The EHV program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to help American families and individuals access quality housing resources.

The funding will be distributed as follows:

Virginia Housing Recipients

Amount

Virginia Housing Development Authority

$4,822,200.00

Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$3,079,560.00

Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,333,128.00

Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$933,240.00

Prince William County Office of Housing & Community Development

$1,095,132.00

Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,008,444.00

Arlington County Dept. of Human Services

$659,988.00

Virginia Beach Dept. of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation

$488,484.00

Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$426,468.00

Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$320,280.00

Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$332,712.00

Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$257,484.00

Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$136,188.00

Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$185,580.00

Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$148,272.00

Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$214,776.00

Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$185,088.00

Total:

$15,627,024.00

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,037,043 in federal funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support seven AmeriCorps VISTA projects across Virginia. The AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program is a national service program that supports organizations dedicated to reducing poverty and increasing economic opportunities in the United States. 

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, local organizations have played a vital role in supporting communities in need,” said the Senators. “We’re pleased that this funding will ensure that seven organizations across the Commonwealth have the resources to continue serving their communities as we recover from the devastating health and economic effects of the past year.” 

The funding will be distributed as follows: 

  • In Alexandria, United Way Worldwide will receive $351,540 to increase access to economic opportunities by improving job readiness and increasing financial literacy.
  • In Bristol, the Appalachian Sustainable Development will receive $105,462 to develop programming on sustainable food production and distribution of agricultural products for local farmers. Volunteers will also support efforts to increase access to affordable, healthy food in rural communities.  
  • In Lynchburg, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg will receive $35,154 to increase access to mentorship programs and services for low-income youth. The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg provides educational opportunities to youth in an effort to reduce high school drop-out rates. 
  • In Norfolk, the Hampton Roads Workforce Foundation will receive $105,462 to expand access to job opportunities through career and workforce development.
  • In Richmond, the Virginia Housing Alliance will receive $246,078 to support statewide and local homelessness response systems and increase access to affordable housing in the area.
  • In Washington County, the Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority will receive $105,462 to assist with capacity building projects and the creation of a service delivery model across the Commonwealth.
  • In Washington County, the Friends of Southwest Virginia will receive $87,885 to expand access to workforce development and improve job readiness. 

The AmeriCorps VISTA program partners with non-profit organizations, schools, and local government agencies to reduce poverty through capacity building. AmeriCorps VISTA members focus on reducing homelessness and food insecurity, supporting community projects, and improving students’ academic performance. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers have also been assisting local COVID-19 testing efforts and vaccine distribution.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and 40 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to provide at least $185 million in funding for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America) in order to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, the Senators state that additional funding for NeighborWorks America will help create housing opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

“As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options,” wrote the Senators.

“Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes,” continued the Senators.

BACKGROUND: NeighborWorks America is a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, that helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Additionally, NeighborWorks leverages $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

This critically important program has provided funding to Nevada HAND and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada (NHSSN).

The letter was also signed by Senators Booker (D-NJ), Smith (D-MN), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Feinstein (D-CA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Menendez (D-NJ), Manchin (D-WV), Markey (D-MA), Sanders (D-VT), Cantwell (D-WA), Hirono (D-HI), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT), Padilla (D-CA), Reed (D-RI), Hassan (D-NH), Whitehouse (D-RI), Warren (D-MA), Van Hollen (D-MD), Peters (D-MI), Casey (D-PA), Durbin (D-IL), Shaheen (D-NH), Baldwin (D-WI), Merkley (D-OR), Carper (D-DE), Duckworth (D-IL), Brown (D-OH), King (I-ME), Warner (D-VA), Blumenthal (D-CT), Warnock (D-GA), Sinema (D-AZ), Klobuchar (D-MN), Wyden (D-OR), Murphy (D-CT), Cardin (D-MD), Lujan (D-NM), Kelly (D-AZ), Coons (D-DE), and Hickenlooper (D-CO).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Chairman Schatz and Ranking Member Collins:

As you consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act, we write to ask that you provide at least $185 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, commonly known as NeighborWorks America. With the nation’s affordable housing crisis continuing to worsen, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to increase our investment in ensuring that Americans have access to reasonably-priced, quality housing options.

As a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit, NeighborWorks helps create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services. In 2020, NeighborWorks created and maintained 43,800 jobs, repaired 76,200 homes, and empowered 23,400 new homeowners. That same year, NeighborWorks provided 149,200 families with vital housing and counseling services that helped prospective homebuyers and renters make informed housing decisions. Providing consumers access to this kind of accurate, comprehensive information throughout the home-buying process can help protect our nation from another mortgage crisis. This has all come at a relatively low cost – NeighborWorks has demonstrated the ability to attract private sector investments to its affordable housing projects, leveraging $59 in private capital for every $1 appropriated to the program.

Additionally, as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s affordable housing crisis extend from urban centers to our rural communities, NeighborWorks’ Rural Initiative is specifically dedicated to delivering a range of services to rural communities in America that face unique challenges when it comes to creating affordable homeownership and rental opportunities. With approximately 20 percent of our nation’s population living in rural communities, NeighborWorks’ financial services, technical assistance, leadership development, and training for community-based development are critical to empowering rural homeownership and rental opportunities. 

Last year, Congress passed with broad bipartisan support a Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations package, increasing Neighborworks funding by more than $7 million above the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted level. Given the program’s demonstrated record of success in increasing access to affordable housing and continued bipartisan support in Congress, we request that you provide at least $185 million in funding. With additional funding, NeighborWorks will be able to increase grants to network community-development organizations, leverage additional investments from private sources, and create opportunities for more Americans to live in affordable homes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages communities and the affordable housing crisis continues to affect an increasing number of Americans nationwide, we ask that you work with us to invest in our communities and our constituents by requesting robust funding for Neighborworks.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $95,560,265 in federal funding to help Virginians access safe and affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the funding through four grant programs – the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) grant program.

“We’re glad to see these federal funds go toward providing housing resources for individuals who are struggling to stay afloat amid COVID-19,” the Senators said. “We will continue to push for federal assistance to better support Virginians in these challenging times.”

The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities. The following localities will receive funding through the CDBG program:

Recipient Amount
Alexandria $1,173,007
Blacksburg $554,230
Bristol $265,409
Charlottesville $427,176
Chesapeake $1,164,279
Christiansburg $104,407
Colonial Heights $109,405
Danville $894,119
Fredericksburg $193,431
Hampton $963,720
Harrisonburg $532,571
Hopewell $221,881
Lynchburg $718,593
Newport News $1,308,136
Norfolk $4,488,314
Petersburg $619,273
Portsmouth $1,613,918
Radford $182,495
Richmond $4,505,969
Roanoke $1,835,201
Staunton $339,361
Suffolk $497,035
Virginia Beach $2,010,809
Waynesboro City $190,037
Winchester $278,923
Arlington County $1,323,025
Chesterfield County $1,531,472
Fairfax County $6,039,155
Henrico County $1,721,965
Loudoun County $1,442,139
Prince William County $2,659,547
Virginia Nonentitlement $19,090,101
Total: $58,999,103

The HOME Investment Partnerships program helps to expand the supply of quality, affordable housing to families by providing grants to states and local governments to fund programs that meet local needs and priorities. The following localities will receive funding through the HOME program:

Recipient Amount
Alexandria $618,934
Blacksburg $596,346
Charlottesville $676,615
Chesapeake $553,118
Danville $273,606
Hampton $539,408
Lynchburg $413,856
Newport News $771,200
Norfolk $1,246,498
Portsmouth $425,453
Richmond $1,611,568
Roanoke $675,808
Suffolk $400,819
Virginia Beach $1,059,622
Winchester $638,110
Arlington County $725,257
Chesterfield County $586,058
Fairfax County $2,175,471
Henrico County $887,581
Prince William County $924,474
Virginia Nonentitlement $10,712,842
Total: $26,512,644

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program provides annual grants to State, local, and private entities to help people find permanent and stable housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. The program also provides funding for outreach and for improving emergency homeless shelters. The following localities will receive funding through the ESG program:

Recipient Amount
Norfolk $384,637
Richmond $389,042
Roanoke $153,124
Virginia Beach $175,346
Fairfax County $508,353
Henrico County $147,536
Prince William County $229,863
Virginia Nonentitlement $3,007,657
Total: $4,995,558

The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program provides housing assistance and additional supportive services to local units of government, states, and non-profit organizations for projects that help low-income persons medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families. The following localities will receive funding through the HOPWA program:

Recipient Amount
Richmond $1,500,245
Virginia Beach $2,177,661
Virginia Nonentitlement $1,375,054
Total: $5,052,960

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,105,039 in federal funding to help seven Native American tribes in Virginia develop affordable housing within their communities. The funding was awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Indian Housing Block Grant Program (IHBG), and will go towards the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, the Pamunkey, and the Nansemond Indian Tribes.

“We’re pleased to see these federal funds go toward improving access to housing for Virginia tribes,” the Senators said. “It’s imperative that these communities have safe and affordable places to live.”

In 2018, Senators Warner and Kaine secured passage of the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 to grant federal recognition for six Virginia tribes, which allowed them to be eligible for federal funding including CARES Act funds to respond to COVID-19. Kaine recently met with Tribal leaders from the Monacan Nation to hear about their progress and challenges they are facing amid the pandemic. In January, Warner and Kaine demanded the Trump Administration provide all necessary resources to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to help support vaccine distribution. 

The Indian Housing Block Grant Program (IHBG) provides grants to Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) to develop and implement affordable housing in Tribal communities.

The tribes that received funding are listed below:

Recipient

Location Amount

Chickahominy Indian Tribe

Providence Forge $262,063

Chickahominy Indian Tribe-Eastern Division

Providence Forge $74,418

Monacan Indian Nation

Amherst $302,115

Nansemond Indian Tribe

Suffolk $140,897

Pamunkey Indian Tribe

King William $74,406

Rappahannock Tribe, Inc.

Indian Neck $74,571

Upper Mattaponi Tribe

King William $176,569

Total:

$1,105,039

###

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $46,328,480 in federal funding to support affordable housing development across Virginia. The funding, which will go to 26 municipalities across the Commonwealth, has been awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund. 

“Access to safe and affordable housing is crucial to a family’s health and stability,” said the Senators. “We’re pleased that these federal dollars will help support housing authorities as they continue to provide necessary assistance to Virginians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Capital Fund provides federal dollars to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and management improvements.

The Virginia housing authorities that received funding are listed below:

Recipient

Amount

Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,729,133.00

Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$912,801.00

Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$3,672,566.00

Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,938,851.00

Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$944,954.00

Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$8,426,268.00

Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$12,050,634.00

Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,265,928.00

Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$3,836,496.00

Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,327,337.00

Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$973,030.00

Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$547,006.00

Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,025,764.00

Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$1,675,827.00

Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority

$179,216.00

Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$989,647.00

Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$583,518.00

Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$483,003.00

Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$486,727.00

Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority

$1,229,244.00

Williamsburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$299,180.00

Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority

$651,261.00

Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$637,685.00

Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$232,420.00

Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority

$75,075.00

Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$154,909.00

Total:

$46,328,480.00

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, today released a statement after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an extension of foreclosure and forbearance relief programs to help people stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic:

“More than 10 million homeowners are currently behind on their mortgage payments, and one in five renters is behind on their rent. Communities of color in particular are being disproportionately hurt by the ongoing health, economic and housing crises. I’ve been fighting in Congress to help Americans in danger of losing their homes, and I applaud the Biden administration for taking this step to help those who are struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sen. Warner has fought to protect homeowners and renters facing eviction as a result of the economic crisis. In May, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to create a $75 billion Housing Assistance Fund to help protect renters, homeowners, and communities by preventing avoidable foreclosures, evictions, and utility shut offs.

During bipartisan negotiations over the COVID-19 relief legislation that Congress passed in December, Sen. Warner secured an extension of a federal eviction moratorium until January 30, 2021 – giving the new Biden administration time to put in additional policies, such as those announced today, to help keep Americans in their homes during the pandemic. Sen. Warner also successfully fought to ensure that the relief bill, which was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020, included $25 billion in federal assistance for renters facing financial insecurity as a result of COVID-19. 

The actions announced today by the Biden administration will help homeowners with HUD, VA and USDA loans by:

  • Extending the foreclosure moratorium for homeowners through June 30, 2021;
  • Extending the mortgage payment forbearance enrollment window until June 30, 2021 for borrowers who wish to request forbearance;
  • Providing up to six months of additional mortgage payment forbearance, in three-month increments, for borrowers who entered forbearance on or before June 30, 2020.

Last week, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would extend their foreclosure moratorium through March 31, 2021. Together, the actions taken by the Biden administration will cover 70 percent of existing single-family home mortgages.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan, bicameral spending bill to fund federal programs crucial to Virginia and keep the federal government open through 2021. The legislation also includes comprehensive measures to help Americans amid the ongoing economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following today’s Senate passage, the bill now heads to the President’s desk for signature. 

“For nine long months, folks waited for Congress to deliver critical relief as they watched COVID-19 further devastate their communities. Today, despite that unacceptable delay, relief is officially on its way,” said Warner. “I’m proud to have worked with a bipartisan group of colleagues to help get this legislation into shape and in the hands of House and Senate leaders. And while I know that this bill is not perfect, I’m glad to know that it will help American families weather this winter and get through the holidays.”

“While this relief should have been passed much earlier, I’m pleased to see families, small businesses, hospitals, schools, and more get the assistance they need,” Kaine said. “This legislation makes critical investments in unemployment assistance, food aid, housing assistance, and other areas to directly help those struggling amid the pandemic. Though we still have more work to do to help Americans get back on their feet, I’m relieved Congress was able to come to this bipartisan compromise and fund these priorities before the holidays.” 

The following list includes some of the priorities Warner and Kaine advocated:

  • Assistance for out of work Virginians: Extends federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, preventing hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Virginians from losing benefits over the holidays. The senators were cosponsors of the legislation that provided the model for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), through which more than 9 million Americans are currently receiving benefits. More recently, the Senators called on leadership to extend and add additional weeks of federal employment benefits to both PUA and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs. Additionally, it gives states the option to offer additional weekly financial relief for Americans with a mix of traditional (W-2) and independent employment income who are not able to claim their full benefit, modeled after Senator Warner’s legislation.
  • Stimulus checks: Includes a stimulus payment for low- and middle-income Americans; with $600 for individual filers and $1,200 for joint filers, with an additional $600 for each qualifying child in the household. Early in the crisis, Senator Kaine called for stimulus efforts to include direct payments to households. 
  • Vaccines: Includes over $19 billion for vaccines and therapeutics and an additional $8.75 billion to support vaccine distribution, particularly for states and localities, to slow the spread of the pandemic and take a step towards a future where COVID-19 is managed.
  • Emergency housing aid and protections: Creates a new $25 billion emergency rental assistance fund to prevent evictions during the pandemic, which will be delivered through state and local governments. Earlier this year, the Senators joined their colleagues in introducing legislation to provide emergency housing assistance for those facing potential evictions. The bill will also extend the CDC eviction moratorium to allow time for implementing the emergency housing aid.
  • Relief for hard-hit small businesses and nonprofits: Provides targeted relief for small businesses struggling with the effects of the pandemic. This includes a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans for small businesses and nonprofits that experienced a substantial revenue decline in 2020, as well as other funds for small business relief. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is directed to provide guidance to ensure priority access for underserved communities, such as minority-owned businesses. The bill also includes grants for small businesses and nonprofits in sectors likely to continue to see substantial drops in revenue in 2021, particularly in the live entertainment sector. This aid will ensure that Virginia’s small businesses are able to stay afloat during the pandemic, keep workers on payroll, and return to job creation as COVID-19 is controlled. The Senators have been strong supporters of providing relief to small businesses, cosponsoring the Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act, which included many of the provisions in the final bill, and the Save our Stages Act, on which the live entertainment grants are modeled. 
  • Targeted relief for underserved communities: Provides the largest single investment in our country's history for minority-owned and community-based lending institutions. Largely drawn from Senator Warner’s Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act, the provision provides $12 billion to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) to build capital and unlock affordable access to credit for underserved and minority neighborhoods, which have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19.
  • Education Stabilization Fund: Provides $82 billion to provide emergency support to K-12 schools and higher education institutions. The legislation includes provisions of Kaine’s Coronavirus Relief Flexibility for Students and Institutions Act that allow colleges to use emergency stabilization funds to cover lost revenue and better target funds designated for colleges hardest hit by COVID-19 by requiring an application to demonstrate need. 
  • Broadband: Includes $7 billion towards broadband, including $3.2 billion for an Emergency Broadband Benefit to help low-income families maintain their internet connections, $285 million to support broadband access in minority communities, and $300 million in broadband grants modeled on provisions Senator Warner drafted with bipartisan Senators. Additionally, the bill includes an extension of the deadline to use Coronavirus Relief Funds so that state and localities interested in using the money for broadband expansion have more time, as Senator Warner called for.
  • Support for child care providers and families: Includes $10 billion in flexible funding for the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help support child care providers and ensure that working parents have access to child care during the pandemic. The bill also includes $250 million for Head Start programs.
  • Public health data modernization: Includes Senator Kaine’s Saving Lives Through Better Data Act, which will improve the nation’s public health data systems at CDC and through grants to state and local health departments to expand and modernize their systems, promoting more seamless communication, which can save lives when we’re faced with public health threats such as COVID-19. The omnibus authorizes $100 million for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
  • Telehealth: Includes Senator Kaine and Senator Schatz’s Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Act of 2019, which creates a grant program to evaluate, develop, and expand the use of distance health education models such as ECHO to increase access to specialty care in rural and medically underserved populations. The omnibus authorizes $10 million for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. The funding bill also permanently expands coverage of and payment for telehealth to treat mental health care, which is in line with Senator Warner’s CONNECT for Health Act, which Senator Kaine is a cosponsor.
  • Ends surprise billing: Includes a provision to end surprise billing, something Senators Warner and Kaine have long advocated for. 
  • U.S. Postal Service: Converts the CARES Act $10 billion loan into direct funding for USPS without requiring repayment. These funds will be used for operational costs and other expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Warner is a cosponsor of the Postal Service Emergency Assistance Act, which would provide USPS with significant direct funding. 
  • Veterans: Provides $104.4 billion in funding for the VA, an increase of $12.5 billion over FY20 levels. This funding increase provides $2.7 billion more than the previous fiscal year for health care delivered at VA facilities nationwide. The bill provides robust funding in several areas important for Virginia veterans, including $815 million for critical VA Medical and Prosthetic research, an increase of $1.18 billion over FY20 levels for electronic health record modernization, nearly $2 billon in support of programs to prevent veteran homelessness and $312.6 million for suicide prevention.
  • Infrastructure: Includes funding for key projects that were championed by Warner and Kaine to benefit Virginia’s infrastructure:
    • Includes a provision pushed for by Senators Warner and Kaine to allow for the construction of a new Long Bridge on the Potomac River, which will double the capacity of the rail crossing between Virginia and D.C. The current two-track Long Bridge is the only rail bridge connecting Virginia to Washington, D.C., and it is at 98 percent capacity during peak hours, which means it is one of the most significant rail chokepoints along the East Coast. The new Long Bridge program will double the capacity of the Potomac River rail crossing by adding a second two-track bridge adjacent to the existing bridge and including a new bike-pedestrian shared use path spanning the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River. Senators Warner and Kaine introduced the Long Bridge Act of 2020 in August to allow for this construction.
    • Includes the full federal funding of $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to fund critical capital investment and safety projects. In addition, the bill provides $14 billion in emergency relief for public transit agencies to continue operations during the pandemic, ensuring access to transportation for frontline workers and civil servants.
    • Includes a one year extension of Community Development Block Grant funds to the City of Norfolk and other localities to build climate resilient infrastructure projects. Senators Kaine and Warner joined Senator John Hoeven in introducing S.4017 in June, which would also have provided an extension for the NDRC program.
    • Includes $87.5 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program—an increase of $2.5 million from FY 2020. The Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration and protection efforts, and the majority of its funds are passed through to the states and local communities for on-the-ground restoration.
    • Authorizes federal funds to cover 65% of the costs associated with construction projects to address close to $1.5 billion of flood control needs in the City of Norfolk.
    • Grants a critical cost adjustment to allow work to continue on the Deep Creek Bridge inChesapeake to address traffic concerns.
    • Authorizes over $102.7 million in federal funds for construction of the North Landing BridgeReplacement project.
    • Provides up to $9 million for the Federal Aviation Administration to continue its remote tower system pilot program at smaller airports, including the Remote Air Traffic Control Tower at Leesburg Executive Airport.
  • Great American Outdoors Act: With Senator Warner’s Great American Outdoors Act now law, the FY21 omnibus affirms funding for several deferred maintenance projects in Virginia:
    • George Washington Memorial Parkway – A $207 million project to restore 7.6 miles of northern section of the GW Parkway and implement critical safety measures. The Senators have long advocated for federal funding for this project for several years as seen here and here.
    • Shenandoah National Park – A $27 million project to pave and restore nearly 50 miles of Skyline Drive and various overlooks. Shenandoah will also receive nearly $3.5 million to remove unnecessary buildings and restore greenspace within the park.
    • Colonial National Historical Park – A $16.5 million project to restore nearly 5 miles of shoreline along the York River.
  • FBI Headquarters: Provides no funding for a new FBI headquarters and includes language that encourages General Services Administration (GSA) to provide a new prospectus, particularly after the Trump Administration abruptly abandoned plans to develop a new campus headquarters for the FBI. Earlier this year, Senators Warner and Kaine opposed an attempt in an earlier Republican COVID-19 relief package that would have provided $1.75 billion for construction of a new FBI HQ in its current downtown D.C. location.  
  • Miners’ Benefits: Extends the funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund until the end of 2021 by extending the tax on mining companies that helps fund the program. Both Kaine and Warner introduced the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Act calling on Congress to extend the excise tax through the end of 2030.
  • Shipbuilding & MILCON funding: Provides $23.27 billion for shipbuilding for 10 battle force ships including full funding for a second Virginia-class submarine, which Senators Warner and Kaine personally advocated for. The bill also appropriates $237 million for 6 MILCON projects in Virginia, including:
    • Humphreys Engineer Center, Training Support Facility (Army) - $51m
    • Norfolk, E-2D Training Facility (Navy) - $30.4m
    • Norfolk, Corrosion Control and Paint Facility (Navy) - $17.671m
    • Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Access Control Point Main Gate with Land Acquisition (Air Force) - $19.5m
    • Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Story, Operations Facility and Command Center (Def-Wide) - $54.5m
    • JEB Little Creek-Story, NSWG Facilities (Def-Wide) - $58m
  • Federal contractors: Senators Warner and Kaine also pushed to extend a provision from CARES (3610), which allows contractual adjustments for a paid leave program, allowing contractors to keep employees on the payroll if federal facilities close due to the pandemic – an important provision for our defense industrial base and cleared national security workforce. 
  • Foster care and homeless youth: Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine’s bill with Senator Murray and Senator Portman, the Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, to remove barriers to financial aid for students experiencing homelessness or students formerly in foster care by easing the application and determination for becoming eligible for aid. The bill also includes language allowing foster youth to remain in the system until October 1, 2021, regardless of their age—a move that Senators Warner and Kaine called for in a recent letter to the administration.
  • Funds Childhood Disease ResearchProvides $12.6 million for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program to conduct pediatric cancer and disease research. The Senators worked to enact the legislation authorizing this program, named for 10-year-old Gabriella Miller of Loudoun County, who passed away from cancer in October of 2013.
  • Supporting working students and families: Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine’s bill with Senator Baldwin, the Working Students Actto reduce the “work penalty” that many students who work while attending school face. Currently, students who work while attending school often are eligible for less financial aid due to their work income. The appropriations bill enacts a 35% increase for working students and 20% increase for families to the income protection allowance (IPA), shielding more of their income from reducing their financial aid.
  • Student Loan Repayment: Extends an important change to existing tax policy allowing employers to use pre-tax dollars to help pay down employees’ student debt until 2025 – a provision modeled after Senator Warner’s bipartisan Employer Participation in Repayment Act to help more than 44 million Americans with student loan debt.
  • Ashanti Alert: Includes $1 million in federal funding to help with the nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. Following the abduction of 19-year old Ashanti Billie, who did not meet the criteria for an Amber or Silver Alert, Senator Warner secured unanimous passage of this national alert system through the Senate on December 6, 2018, and has been a leader in the fight to implement the Ashanti Alert nationwide ever since.
  • Nutrition: Provides $13 billion in nutrition assistance, including a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits through June 30, 2021 for all SNAP participants. Excludes unemployment compensation from being counted as income for the purposes of calculating SNAP benefits and eligibility. Provides $400 million for food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program.
  • Farmers: Provides $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to producers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic, including funds to support the food supply chain through food purchases, donations to food banks, and support for local food systems. Additionally, it includes $5 billion for supplemental payments to row crop producers; $3 billion for supplemental payments to cattle producers and contract growers of livestock and poultry, dairy farmers, and producers who were forced to euthanize livestock or poultry; $225 million for producers of specialty crops; and $1.5 billion to purchase food for distribution to those in need.
  • Timber Harvesting/Hauling: Provides up to $200 million to support timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses impacted by COVID-19. 
  • Dairy: Provides up to $400 million for a Dairy Product Donation Program, modeled after the 2018 Farm Bill pilot program to facilitate the donation of dairy products and minimize food waste. 
  • Textiles: Allows USDA to make payments to users of upland cotton and extra-long staple cotton.
  • Fisheries: Provides $300 million in assistance to help fisheries mitigate COVID-19 related impacts. 
  • Water Utility Bill Assistance: Provides $638 million for a new program to help low-income families cover the costs of drinking water and wastewater utility bills by making funds available to states and Tribes. These localities will provide dollars to owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works to reduce arrearages and rates for low-income households.
  • Appalachian Regional Commission: Includes a record $180 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, an increase of $5 million from FY20.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,526,115 in federal funding to help Virginians access affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, and authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“As housing insecurity continues to rise for many Virginians due to the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, now more than ever, Congress needs to offer critical assistance to those in need,” the Senators said. “We’re pleased to announce these federal funds that will go toward supporting affordable housing, and we will continue fighting to ensure people across the Commonwealth get the federal assistance they need.”

The HCV program is a collaborative effort between U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local housing authorities that assists low-income families, seniors, and disabled Americans with finding affordable, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.

The funding will be awarded as below.

Recipient

Amount

 

Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$412,080

Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$305,021

Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$209,026

Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$197,490

Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$13,068

Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$132,242

Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

 

$62,672

County of Albemarle/Office of Housing

 

$80,274

James City County Office of Housing

 

$47,643

Buckingham Housing Development Corp. Inc.

 

$66,599

Total:

$1,526,115

 

 

###

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Sens.  Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and 13 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Kathleen Kraninger regarding the Bureau’s recent public enforcement actions against mortgage originators offering Veterans Administration (VA)-guaranteed loans. Between July 2020 and September 2020, the CFPB announced consent orders against eight different mortgage lenders for deceptive and misleading advertising of VA mortgages. In each case, the CFPB found that the originators’ advertisements contained false, misleading, or inaccurate statements that violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act’s prohibition against deceptive acts and practices, the Mortgage Acts and Practices Advertising Rule, and Regulation Z. The CFPB collected approximately $2.8 million in civil penalties from these eight violators, but did not require any of these companies to provide restitution to harmed consumers.

The lawmakers wrote, “We write to you regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau)’s recent public enforcement actions against mortgage originators offering Veterans Administration (VA)-guaranteed loans. We are deeply concerned by the Bureau’s failure to obtain restitution for consumers who were targeted by these companies’ deceptive marketing practices.”

“Unfortunately, because of extended travel and multiple relocations, often related to their service, servicemembers and veterans are particularly vulnerable to scams. The VA and the Bureau have long been aware of one such scam: direct-mail advertisements that contained inadequate disclosures or misleading and deceptive statements pertaining to VA home loans,” the lawmakers continued. “For instance, in 2016, the Bureau released a snapshot of servicemember complaints and highlighted that veterans had reported receiving misleading advertisements. And in November 2017, the VA and the Bureau issued a “Warning Order” alerting servicemembers and veterans to offers of mortgage refinancing that contained deceptive or false advertising.”

“As servicemembers, veterans, and their families make sacrifices for our country, they expose themselves to a number of financial risks and challenges; the Bureau must be clear that it is looking out for them in return. We are concerned that there has been no effort to ensure that thousands of servicemembers and veterans are made whole or at least compensated for damages caused by unscrupulous lenders seeking to profit by misleading homeowners,” wrote the lawmakers. 

The full text of the letter can be found here.

BACKGROUND:

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, complaints to the CFPB have increased 50 percent over the 2019 levels, including thousands of complaints about credit reporting, debt collection, credit cards and prepaid cards, and mortgages. 

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