Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Homes Act, a critically important bill that would build a substantial number of new, affordable housing units for working families. Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, shared the following statement in response:
Affordable housing is foundational to an inclusive economy that provides security for everyone, not just the wealthy few. Solving America’s housing crisis demands solutions that meet the monumental scale and complexity of the problem.
The Homes Act is filling a yawning gap in affordable rentals by offering a fresh approach to delivering new, affordable rental housing for Americans. By building affordable housing in opportunity-rich areas, the Homes Act will provide families with not just a home but also better access to employment and a way to save for the future.
I commend Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Smith for their bold leadership on bringing the cost of housing down and building sustainable housing for this generation.
The bill’s release comes as new polling conducted by Data for Progress for the Center for American Progress finds that nearly 8 in 10 voters believe America has a housing shortage.
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Center for American Progress will host a housing policy summit, Building the Future: Innovative Solutions to the U.S. Housing Crisis, and will feature an armchair discussion with co-sponsors of the Homes Act, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Tina Smith, and a keynote address from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra. The summit will also bring together federal, state, and local leaders to discuss solutions that lay out a vision for a future with affordable, accessible housing. New polling on how Americans view the housing shortage will be released following the event.
To RSVP for our upcoming event or to speak with an expert, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].