Arizona Housing Trust Fund at Risk

The Arizona House budget is recommending a $30 million sweep for the Arizona Housing Trust Fund (HTF), including $3.1 million from program funds, which would eliminate HTF for 2009 and slash Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) staff.

What is worse, is that they want to change the funding source from the current % from unclaimed funds to a legislative appropriation, which makes the HTF vulnerable every single year.

Action:

Call or email the House and Senate leadership and remind them that now is not the time to cripple Arizona's housing industry further. Call or email the Governor's office and ask the Governor to hold the line to protect the Housing Trust Fund and not change the funding mechanism which has served the state well over the years.

Dear Legislator,

I am contacting you in support of the Housing Department and the Housing Trust Fund (HTF). In these difficult economic times, I would like you to consider that the Housing Department is an economic engine and that the Housing Trust Fund leverages multiple private resources throughout the state. Housing is an industry that generates jobs and wages, local and state tax revenue, long term property taxes and enhances the viability of safe stable neighborhoods and communities. The HTF contributes greatly to the economic health of Arizona’s communities by leveraging new dollars into the economy while assisting lower income households with their housing needs.

The Department receives zero General Fund or tax generated support but relies on Housing Trust Fund to sustain critical programs such as:

Addressing the state’s current mortgage foreclosure crisis, including dollars for the Arizona Foreclosure Help Line, mortgage foreclosure counseling services and mortgage foreclosure assistance.

Homeowner and rental housing opportunities.

Homeless or domestic violence shelters or emergency operating funds to keep existing shelters open.

Emergency eviction and utility assistance to prevent homelessness, which can assist up to 6,000 individuals and households at risk of becoming homeless. (For every $1 spent in prevention, $8 is saved by eliminating services to reverse the homeless situation.)

Emergency repair funding to assist low-income households, many of them elderly or disabled, with crucial heating and cooling and roof repairs.

Support of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority, which has been tremendously successful assisting first time homebuyers in rural Arizona.

I understand that difficult decisions must be made during lean times and would respectfully request that cuts or fund sweeps be in proportion to other agencies or funds. The Department received a large fund sweep during the FY08 budget process and further large sweeps will cripple vital programs, such as those listed above. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Arizona Senate Leadership

Bee Senate President tbee@azleg.gov 602-926-5683

Verschoor Majority Leader tverschoor@azleg.gov 602-926-4136

Huppenthal Majority Whip jhuppenthal@azleg.gov 602-926-5261

Blendu President Pro Tempore rblendu@azleg.gov 602-926-5955

Arzberger Minority Leader marzberger@azleg.gov 602-926-4321

Rios Minority Whip rrios@azleg.gov 602-926-5685

Garcia Asst. Minority Leader jgarcia@azleg.gov 602-926-4171

Arizona House Leadership

Weiers Speaker of the House jweiers@azleg.gov 602-926-4173

Boone Majority Leader tboone@azleg.gov 602-926-3297

McComish Majority Whip jmccomish@azleg.gov 602-926-5898

Robson Speaker Pro Tempore brobson@azleg.gov 602-926-5549

Lopes Minority Leader plopes@azleg.gov 602-926-3278

Gallardo Minority Whip sgallardo@azleg.gov 602-926-3392

Brown Asst. Minority Leader jbrown@azleg.gov 602-926-4129