{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-lynch-meeks-torres-introduce-choice-neighborhoods", "Reps. Cleaver, Lynch, Meeks, Torres Introduce Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act", "2025-06-12", "2025", "2025-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", "cleaver", "https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Public Housing Caucus Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) reintroduced the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act. The legislation would permanently authorize and expand the Choice Neighborhoods Program. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.\n\nThe Choice Neighborhoods Program is a transformative grant program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development that converts severely distressed neighborhoods into high-quality, mixed-use community developments. Established in 2010, the program has provided $1.8 billion in competitive grants to localities and community organizations for comprehensive neighborhood redevelopment across dozens of distressed communities. In a recent HUD report, researchers found that in the neighborhoods studied, every dollar of Choice funding leveraged an additional $7.34 toward housing redevelopment.\n\n\u201cAs American families struggle with our national housing affordability crisis, we need an all-hands-on deck approach to promote the development of affordable housing and rejuvenation of public housing all over the country,\u201d said Congressman Cleaver. \u201cThe Choice Neighborhood Program has proven to be the kind of transformative tool we need in this effort, catalyzing public and private investment in underserved areas that enables the revitalization of entire communities. Not only does this program expand the construction of affordable housing options, but it opens the door for working class families to access new opportunities and climb the economic ladder. I\u2019m proud to introduce the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act with Senators Blunt Rochester and Van Hollen, along with Reps. Lynch, Meeks, and Torres, as we seek to permanently reauthorize this vital work and strengthen the program in the process.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Choice Neighborhoods Program leverages public and private investment to expand affordable housing and revitalize entire communities. It's exactly the sort of solution we should be supporting to solve the housing crisis,\" said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks. \"It\u2019s a proven model that not only improves housing but also uplifts neighborhoods, businesses, and the families who live there. I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe housing crisis in America demands bold, comprehensive solutions and the Choice Neighborhoods Program delivers just that,\u201d said Rep. Torres. \u201cIt empowers communities to rebuild from within, transforming public housing and surrounding neighborhoods into engines of opportunity. By permanently authorizing this program, we\u2019re aiming make a long-term investment in housing, equity, and economic mobility. I\u2019m proud to join Rep. Cleaver and my colleagues in advancing this legislation to ensure that every community, especially the most underserved, can share in America\u2019s promise of opportunity.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the United States faces a severe affordable housing shortage, the Choice Neighborhoods program is a proven tool that can reinvigorate our most distressed neighborhoods and unlock their future success,\u201d said Senator Blunt Rochester, member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. \u201cBy catalyzing public and private investment, this program has successfully contributed to the preservation of affordable housing and created over 21,000 new housing units across 52 communities in America, including in my hometown of Wilmington. Making this program permanent not only ensures these transformative investments continue, but it also gives us yet another tool in our toolbox to address the housing affordability crisis in Delaware and across the country. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Cleaver for joining me in leading this effort, and I\u2019m hopeful we can work together in both chambers to get this bill passed\u201d\n\n\u201cAs communities struggle to keep up with the demand for affordable housing, we must accelerate our efforts to redevelop and revitalize underserved neighborhoods. This legislation will help build on the success of the Choice Neighborhoods Program \u2013 unlocking additional public and private investment to create greater access to housing, and ultimately opportunity, across the country,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\"As a recent HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant recipient, our experience with the program has been extremely positive,\u201d said Logan Herring, CEO of The WRK Group. \u201cChoice funding has accelerated our neighborhood plan significantly, with 250 new mixed income homes in or beginning construction just two years after the award. In addition, we've been able to leverage over $150 million in additional funding with this grant and the HUD staff has been professional, responsive, and knowledgeable - great to work with. We enthusiastically support this bill to continue and expand the Choice program.\u201d\n\n\"The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) revitalizes distressed public housing and nearby areas through community-driven redevelopment,\u201d said Mark Thiele, CEO of NAHRO. \u201cBy focusing on housing, people, and neighborhoods, it makes communities safer and more vibrant, creating opportunities without displacing residents. Continued support for CNI is essential to creating lasting positive change in communities nationwide. NAHRO proudly endorses the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act of 2025. This act will help transform areas of extreme poverty into sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods by redeveloping distressed housing and investing in communities.\"\n\n\u201cPHADA supports the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act of 2025,\u201d said Tim Kaiser, executive director of Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA). \u201cPermanently authorizing the Choice Neighborhoods program\u2014which leverages public and private funding to revitalize public housing developments and their surrounding neighborhoods\u2014will ensure this program remains a vital tool to address the capital needs backlog. PHADA remains committed to advocating for robust funding and resources for public housing programs, including Choice Neighborhoods.\u201d\n\nThis legislation has been endorsed by the American Planning Association; Catholic Charities USA; Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity; Delaware State Housing Authority; Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County; Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC); National Association of REALTORS; National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials; National Center for Healthy Housing; NeighborGood Partners; Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA); REACH Riverside Development Corporation; Sussex County Habitat for Humanity; UnidosUS; Wilmington Housing Authority; Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank; and YWCA Delaware.\n\nOfficial text of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act is available here.\n\nA one-pager of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T01:08:28Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-lynch-meeks-torres-introduce-choice-neighborhoods"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8949176408350468, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}