WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week led his colleagues in urging Congress to support and fund the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act. The PRO Housing program directly assists state and local governments’ efforts to incentivize inclusive housing policies. These grants encourage eligible organizations to identify barriers that hinder the development of affordable housing, and implement plans to lower housing prices.
In FY24, Congress appropriated HUD $100 million for competitive awards to states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and multi-jurisdictional entities. In FY23, over 180 entities applied for PRO Housing awards. Given the overwhelming demand for the program, maintaining funding of at least $100 million in FY25 will enable HUD to serve a wide array of communities.
The letter was sent to the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, and was signed by Sen. Welch and Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
“As you consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, we ask that you provide at least $100 million for the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program. The nation is experiencing an affordable housing shortage, in part due to barriers to building diverse housing throughout the country. The PRO Housing program provides support to communities working to overcome these barriers and expand access to affordable housing,” wrote the lawmakers.
“A well-funded PRO Housing program is critical as housing prices and a housing supply shortage put affordable homeownership and rent out of reach for more and more families. The lack of affordable housing disproportionately impacts low- and moderate-income households…The PRO Housing program fills these gaps and enables communities to reduce barriers to build more affordable housing,” continued the lawmakers. “Furthermore, given the scope of America’s affordable housing crisis, continued funding for the PRO Housing program will benefit communities across the country. We ask that you support our request to invest in our communities and our constituents by providing robust funding for the PRO Housing program.”
Read and download the full letter.
###