Our Editor & Co-Founder shared this with us on the response he received from Senator Feinstein's Office which we wanted to report on:
Thank you for writing to share your thoughts regarding the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants. I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
I share your concern that homelessness remains one of the country’s most persistent challenges, and I have made addressing this crisis one of my top priorities. Each year, nearly 1.6 million people turn to emergency shelters and transitional housing programs, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. As you know, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants provide critical assistance to communities to help end chronic homelessness.
You may be interested to know that on March 23, 2018, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-141). This law allocates $2.513 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, representing a $130 million funding increase compared to fiscal year (FY) 2017.
You may also be interested to know that I joined 34 of my Senate colleagues on April 18, 2018, in sending a letter to Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Specifically, the letter expressed support for funding of no less than $2.8 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants for FY 2019.
Please know I recognize that housing programs have been chronically underfunded for years relative to the ongoing need for housing assistance. Be assured that I have noted your support for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over funding for federal housing assistance programs, I will keep your thoughts in mind as the appropriations process moves forward.
Once again, thank you for writing. Should you have any other questions or comments, please call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at feinstein.senate.gov. You can also follow me online at YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and you can sign up for my email newsletter at feinstein.senate.gov/
Best regards.
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
