Yvette Clarke: “Pursuing the American Dream has become a daunting task for millions of Americans in need of a place they can call home.…”

“Pursuing the American Dream has become a daunting task for millions of Americans in need of a place they can call home. We must address affordable housing, as we are in the midst of an acute crisis, and it is sweeping across America. From my district in Brooklyn, New York, to Portland, Oregon, families coast to coast are getting priced out of their communities and driven into poverty and homelessness. My newly introduced bill, the Affordable Housing and Area Median Income Fairness Act, will attack this crisis head-on. My bill addresses the clearly flawed model that has been used to calculate area median incomes, which is the basis on which rental rates are set. This outdated model made it harder for our families to afford having a roof over their heads, meanwhile, lining the pockets of big developers. The Federal Government cannot--must not--continue to be complicit in this travesty. As cities grow and communities evolve, the ability to afford having a roof over one's head should not be relegated only to those whose incomes afford them luxury. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in this crusade for human dignity: affordable housing for all Americans, access to affordable housing. ____________________”