U.S. Rep Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Housing and Insurance Subcommittee chairman, and U.S. Rep Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), ranking member of the committee, kicked off a bipartisan initiative to reauthorize the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program.

The HOME and CDBG programs have not been reauthorized by Congress since 1992. Flood and Cleaver are seeking public input on the initiative, asking interested parties to share their experiences with CDBG and HOME and their ideas to improve the programs.

“Rising housing costs are a big problem, and there’s no silver bullet, but we have found a good place to start our collaboration: HUD’s HOME and the CBDG programs,” Cleaver said.  

“We’re working across party lines on key issues that are important nationwide: reducing housing costs and building more housing supply,” Flood said. “We want to hear what you like about the programs, what you don’t like about the programs, and if you have any ideas to make them work better.”

They hope to hear from municipalities, states, nonprofits and other stakeholders that interact with the two programs.

Submissions are due by April 25 and can be emailed to [email protected].

“After all the feedback is submitted, we will invite a select number of commenters to Washington, D.C., discuss their ideas in person with both of us,” Flood said.