National Fair Housing Alliance Statement on President Biden’s Signing of Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 15, 2021

Media Contact: Izzy Woodruff | 202-898-1661 | IWoodruff@nationalfairhousing.org

National Fair Housing Alliance Statement on President Biden’s Signing of Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

Washington, D.C.— This afternoon, bipartisan infrastructure legislation was signed into law by President Biden. The legislation did not include funding for housing, despite housing accounting for 20 percent of GDP. A recent poll found that 87 percent  of American adults agree that every child and family should have access to a safe, decent, and affordable home; 84 percent of American adults in the same poll agree that Zip codes, or where we live, should not determine success in life. Another poll found that most Americans view today’s affordable housing challenge as a crisis that needs immediate action, and nearly 90 percent — including 76 percent of Republicans — said that the role of government was important when it comes to making sure there is enough affordable housing. Nikitra Bailey, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), issued the following statement: 

“The National Fair Housing Alliance applauds President Biden and Members of Congress for today’s achievement of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. President Biden’s signing of this legislation is a meaningful first step in efforts to improve America’s infrastructure. Equally important, housing is a necessary component of infrastructure and we as a nation must invest in affordable, equitable homeownership and rental housing opportunities. Congress and the White House need to work together to immediately pass the Build Back Better Act, which includes the most significant housing legislation in over 50 years. 

“The Build Back Better Act takes important steps toward closing the racial wealth gap through investments in first-generation down payment assistance to help millennials of color achieve homeownership. The bill also funds the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act to help support rehabilitation of homes in distressed neighborhoods and make them available to owner-occupants. And, critically, the Build Back Better Act also makes a major investment in fair housing enforcement to ensure that we protect the right to housing opportunities free from discrimination for all.

“Our work on the next generation of infrastructure is not complete without major investments in housing. The housing investments in the Build Back Better Act will stimulate the economy, combat racial inequities, and address the priorities of hard-working Americans. We urge Congressional leaders and the Biden administration to quickly pass the Build Back Better Act.”

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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 200 fair housing and justice-centered organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories,  NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.