HomeMy WebLinkAboutHouseAmericaPacket2b - Sample Letter to HUD LanguageHouse America
SAMPLE LETTER FOR STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL LEADERS
The Honorable Marcia Fudge
Secretary
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20410
Dear Secretary Fudge,
I, [NAME and TITLE] of [CITY, COUNTY, STATE, or TRIBAL NATION], am proud to join the federal initiative known as House America, and to stand with the Department of Housing and Urban
Development and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness in pledging to respond with urgency to homelessness in our community by setting and achieving ambitious re-housing
and housing creation goals.
Homelessness continues to impact [PERCENTAGE or APPROXIMATE NUMBER] of residents in our [COMMUNITY], and a lack of housing remains a barrier to the health, safety, well-being, employment,
and education for these individuals and families. Too many had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without the safety and protection of a stable home, while the homelessness crisis has
been further impacted and/or exacerbated during and due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is why [OFFICE or COMMUNITY] is committed to re-housing [NUMBER of] households from homelessness, and to adding [NUMBER of] units to our development pipeline that will serve people
exiting homelessness. We are committed to working with HUD and USICH to make effective use of American Rescue Plan, CARES Act, and other federal, state, and local resources to make
progress towards ending homelessness and ensuring that all residents have a safe and affordable place to live.
We are committed as well to solving homelessness through a Housing First approach, which identifies and assists households experiencing homelessness to obtain permanent housing quickly
– with respect for their rights and autonomy, without treatment or sobriety pre-conditions, and with few to no barriers to entry — through housing counseling and navigation assistance,
and tailored levels of rental assistance and offers of wrap-around supportive services.
I look forward to working with you and the staff at HUD and USICH in the coming months as we join our efforts to House America. Please send future announcements about House America events
and technical assistance to [DESIGNATED STAFF MEMBER]
Sincerely,
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