WASHINGTON—The appropriations bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed last week includes $25 million in funding for a Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America) community revitalization pilot program, which Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) has called for and worked with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation Housing and Urban Development to secure.

In a letter to Subcommittee Chair David Price (NC-04) and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-15), Congresswoman Tlaib urged consideration of a series of housing funding priorities, including funding for NeighborWorks America to establish a competitive grant program to help restore communities left behind in legacy urban and rural areas suffering from long term depopulation and deindustrialization.

NeighborWorks America, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, seeks to promote reinvestment in urban, suburban and rural communities by local financial institutions working cooperatively with residents and local government. The $25 million the House approved would fund competitive grants to: redevelop abandoned or distressed properties; provide homeownership and financing assistance to households with income of not more than 120 percent of the area median income; purchase properties that are abandoned or distressed to sell, rent, or redevelop; establish or operate land banks to acquire, redevelop, or sell properties that are abandoned or distressed; demolish abandoned or distressed structures, as part of a redevelopment effort to increase affordable rental and owner-occupied housing; or engage in community development activities in areas with high rates of abandoned or distressed properties—all of which would make a meaningful difference in Congresswoman Tlaib’s district.

“I pushed for this funding at the start of this pandemic and since then, a number of my residents have called in dire need of home repairs with few—if any—options for us to help them secure it,” Congresswoman Tlaib said. “This $25 million is a ray of hope for our folks suffering with damaged roofs over their heads and other housing revitalization needs during one of the most difficult times our country has ever faced. I thank my colleagues in the House for funding what has been a long-time priority of mine and urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same and swiftly.”

The funding of this NeighborWorks pilot program is a part of an ongoing effort to create a sustainable, annually funded home repair program. The appropriations bill it is included in now awaits final passage by the Senate.