WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) discussed how to reform federal housing programs to improve affordable housing options in rural Wyoming during a Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development hearing.
Expanding affordable rural housing is a priority for Senator Lummis because roughly two-thirds of people in Wyoming live in a rural area. Too often, federal funding for affordable housing is narrowly focused on dense urban areas. Sen. Lummis is working to ensure rural areas are not excluded from federal programs.
“When I talk about housing, I like to call attention to rural housing. This is because rural housing is different,” said Senator Lummis. “For one thing – people in rural communities are more likely to be home owners and home ownership is important to build strong communities. But some aspects of what makes rural housing different presents challenges. Rural housing is often older, and it can be more difficult and more expensive to find someone to fix a leaky roof or replace outdated electrical systems.”
As the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development, Sen. Lummis will continue to be a voice for the needs of rural communities across Wyoming and ensure that Washington does not forget about the west.
In January, Lummis introduced the Choice in Affordable Housing Act, to make it easier for people in Wyoming to access Housing Choice Vouchers, often referred to as Section 8 vouchers. This legislation would provide eligible low-income families in Wyoming with increased housing choices and improved access to high-opportunity communities.
Last Congress, Lummis cosponsored the Native American Rural Homeownership Act of 2021, which would expand a pilot program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase home ownership opportunities in tribal communities in rural areas.
Click here to view Sen. Lummis’ opening remarks and here for her questioning of witnesses.
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