Habitat Needs You

Help us save AmeriCorps and critical funding!

The House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 1, which is legislation that cuts government spending. Unfortunately, these cuts include the elimination of the Corporation for National and Commuity Service, and significant decreases to housing and community development budgets. These cuts would drastically affect programs like ours that build and sell homes to hard-working people in need of decent and affordable housing.

If the bill is passed by the Senate and signed by the President, some of the impacts include:

·    The elimination of all AmeriCorps and direct service programs beginning in 2011 – 2012

·    A decrease of more than $5.7 billion from the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) budget

·    Cuts to the public housing capital fund by more than 40%, endangering public housing households, more than half of whom are elderly and/or disabled, and more than 40% of whom have children

·    Cuts to the Community Development Fund from $4.45 billion to $1.5 billion

Habitat Metro Denver has relied on support from direct service organizations like Americorps since 1998, with more than 89 Americorps members having worked with us to increase capacity and build more homes. In addition, Habitat Metro Denver and other affordable housing organizations rely on funding from HUD through HOME Funds and CDBG to carry out our work.

Representatives and the President will have opportunities to shape the final spending package. We need your help to ensure that these critical services are not cut from the budget!

Ways you can help:

• Call your representative and tell them why you oppose H.R. 1 -Click here to see how your representative voted
• Visit www.saveservice.org and sign up to participate in "Save Service District Day" on Friday, February 25th.
• Help spread the word through social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saveservice or Twitter.
• Call your Senators and ask them to pass a Continuing Resolution that restores funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and other critical funding for housing and community development. Talking points and call instructions can be found on www.saveservice.org/pages/actioncenter.