NH Delegation Announces More Than $1.8 Million in CARES Act Funding to Support Affordable Housing for Granite Staters
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced $1,827,334 in funding through the CARES Act to support affordable housing for Granite Staters during the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, funding was distributed to the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program, which is used to help low-income, disabled and elderly people afford safe and decent housing in the private market.
“For many Granite Staters, keeping a roof over their heads has been a tremendous challenge over the course of this pandemic. Many are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent on top of other basic necessities like food and health care and are at risk of losing their homes with nowhere to go,” said Senator Shaheen. “This funding will help those most vulnerable in our society, including working families, the elderly and Granite Staters with disabilities, access the affordable housing they need to stay safe and secure. I’ll keep fighting to secure additional housing assistance that will help keep Granite Staters in their homes during this public health and economic emergency.”
“Many Granite State families are struggling to make rent and stay housed given the continued economic challenges that they are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Hassan. “These federal grants will help ensure that vulnerable individuals have safe and affordable housing that they can depend on, and I will continue to work with the NH Congressional Delegation to secure additional housing support.”
“The unprecedented health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has put incredible financial strain on many New Hampshire families,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Months into this pandemic, some are facing incredibly difficult decisions between necessities like groceries and prescription medications or paying their rent. This CARES Act funding will ensure safe and affordable housing for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. I’ll continue working to support Granite Staters through this ongoing public health emergency.”
“Before this pandemic, New Hampshire was grappling with a lack of access to safe, affordable housing throughout our communities,” said Congressman Pappas. “COVID-19 and the economic crisis has only exacerbated this problem as too many Granite Staters are at risk of losing their homes or unable to find suitable housing through no fault of their own. These CARES Act funds could not be arriving at a more critical time to help ensure that New Hampshire residents, including our most vulnerable neighbors, can weather this storm with a roof over their heads.”
The New Hampshire delegation has worked to protect Granite Staters left vulnerable by the COVID-19 public health and economic emergency. In total, the delegation has announced more than $60.6 million thus far in federal funding to help support affordable housing, health care and social services in communities throughout New Hampshire. This includes $5.8 million announced earlier this month, more than $39.5 million in August, $3.6 million in May and $11.7 million in April. In response to a letter sent to HUD by Shaheen, the department released guidance earlier this month allowing nearly $10.4 million provided by the CARES Act to NH for emergency housing assistance to be used to support shelters and prevent vulnerable Granite Staters from becoming homeless amid COVID-19. In addition, Shaheen and Hassan are cosponsors of the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020, legislation that would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
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