Grandfamily Housing Act Would Help Grandparents Raising Children Access Safe, Affordable, Age-Appropriate Housing
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), a member of the House Financial Services Committee, and Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, applauded the Financial Services Committee’s passage of the Grandfamily Housing Act, their legislation to create a new, nationwide pilot program to provide funding to help grandfamilies access safe, affordable and appropriate housing.
Rep. Pressley spoke in favor of the Grandfamily Housing Act during the Financial Services Committee’s markup of the legislation yesterday. Full video of her remarks is available here.
“For too long, policymakers have failed to recognize the many contributions of grandparents raising grandchildren and provide them with the resources and support they need,” said Reps. Pressley and McGovern in a joint statement. “Today, the House moved one step closer to passing our bill to finally change that and affirm the right of our grandfamilies to thrive in community. With more than half of low-income, grandparent-headed households spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent, the House must swiftly vote to pass our Grandfamily Housing Act so we can ensure grandfamilies have a safe, affordable, and age-appropriate place to call home. We thank Chairwoman Waters and our colleagues for prioritizing this legislation and look forward to getting it across the finish line.”
The Grandfamily Housing Act establishes a new nationwide pilot program to modify appropriate housing and fund residential coordinators to help grandparents navigate the complexities of raising a grandchild. Specifically, the bill helps nonprofits and local housing authorities provide a safe living space for grandfamilies; helps housing providers employ a Grandfamily Resident Service Coordinator; builds a stable environment for grandchildren; and finances the upkeep of grandfamily housing and communal spaces. For more information on the bill, click here.
Reps. Pressley and McGovern began working together on the issue in 2019, holding a roundtable in Worcester, Mass. where they heard directly from grandparents about the specific challenges they face when raising a grandchild. Frequently, grandparents are financially unprepared to care for a grandchild. They often have difficulty accessing school or medical records of their grandchildren. Additionally, grandparent-led households regularly lack adequate and age-appropriate housing. The Grandfamily Housing Act builds on many of the concerns the lawmakers heard at the roundtable.
This bill is endorsed by Generations United, LeadingAge, National Council on Aging, and the Massachusetts Commission on Grandparents Raising Children.
Original source can be found here
