Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar reintroduced the Affordable Housing Resident Services Act, which would provide funding to owners of affordable housing properties to offer supportive services for their residents. 

“As we work to confront California’s affordable housing and homelessness crises head-on, we need to ensure families have the tools to build stable, successful lives,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I am proud to reintroduce this critical legislation to ensure residents of affordable housing properties have access to the supportive services they need. I’ll keep working to help make affordable housing a reality for everyone so that hardworking families in the Inland Empire can thrive.”

“National CORE commends Congress for recognizing that affordable housing must be more than just a roof over someone’s head – it must also create opportunities for families to thrive,” National CORE President Michael Ruane said. “Resident services are essential to helping families become self-sufficient, supporting seniors as they age in place, and breaking the cycle of poverty. We urge Congress to build on this historic step by formally authorizing a program for supportive services and increasing funding for this critical work.”

The Affordable Housing Resident Services Act establishes the Affordable Housing Resident Services Grant Program within the Department of Health and Human Services. This program provides funding for supportive services to residents over a five-year period. Specifically, owners of federally-supported affordable housing properties can allocate up to 25 percent of the grant funding to hire a service coordinator, who will be responsible for delivering supportive services to residents. The grant funding would mainly be used to provide the supportive services at affordable housing properties, including: after-school programs for children and teenagers; educational opportunities for youth and adult residents; mental health, alcohol and addiction treatment; self-sufficiency resources; resources on future home ownership; financial literacy training; elder care; assistance to residents with disabilities; and other community services. 

In Fiscal Year 2023, Rep. Aguilar created and secured funding for the Affordable Housing Resident Services Grant Demonstration Program as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. Rep. Aguilar secured funding to continue this demonstration program again in Fiscal Year 2024. The Affordable Housing Resident Services Act would codify this program into law.

This legislation is endorsed by AHEPA Senior Living, California Housing Partnership, California State Association of Counties (CSAC), Center for Law and Social Policy, County Welfare Directors Association of California, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Housing California, National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), National CORE, National Leased Housing Association (NLHA), National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Stewards for Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF).

Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.