Senators Barcia, Anderson, Prusi, Whitmer, Jacobs, Clarke, Basham, Hunter, Olshove, Scott, Schauer, Thomas, Switalski, Brater, Gleason and Clark-Coleman offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 182.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act.

            Whereas, Housing is at the heart of strong communities and stable neighborhoods. Safe, decent, affordable housing is key to the health and welfare of every individual and family; and

            Whereas, The lack of affordable housing has resulted in homelessness, economic hardship, health crises, and related traumas for untold numbers of men, women, and children in Michigan and throughout the United States; and

            Whereas, There are only 36 units of affordable and available housing in Michigan for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. More than 486,000 renter households in Michigan are unable to afford the average rent for a 2-bedroom unit. The average fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom unit in Michigan is 3.1 percent higher in 2008 than in 2007 and 26 percent higher than 2000; and

            Whereas, More than 9,600,000 extremely low-income households in the United States pay more than half of their incomes for housing; and

            Whereas, Housing represents 23 percent of the United States gross domestic product and is vital to our national economy. Housing construction and rehabilitation hold enormous potential for economic stimulus and the creation of jobs; and

            Whereas, The construction of new housing and the preservation or rehabilitation of existing housing that is affordable for low-income people must be a national priority; and

            Whereas, The goal of the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign is to produce, rehabilitate, and preserve 1.5 million units of housing over the next 10 years; and

            Whereas, The United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, on October 10, 2007, with the co-sponsorship and support of United States Representatives Upton and Kildee and the support of Representatives Stupak, Miller, Levin, Kilpatrick, Conyers, and Dingell of Michigan; and

            Whereas, In the United States Senate, S. 2523, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, was introduced on December 19, 2007; and

            Whereas, Both S. 2523 and H.R. 2895 target 75 percent of trust fund dollars to extremely low-income households and require that at least 30 percent of trust fund dollars go to households that qualify for Supplemental Security Income benefits; and

            Whereas, The National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as contemplated in both S. 2523 and H.R. 2895, would require no new taxes. Its purpose, to provide for the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families, is of great importance to our state and nation; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.