What Are Housing Trust Funds?
Housing trust funds are distinct funds established by city, county or state governments that receive ongoing dedicated sources of public funding to support the preservation and production of affordable housing and increase opportunities for families and individuals to access decent affordable homes. Housing trust funds systemically shift affordable housing funding from annual budget allocations to the commitment of dedicated public revenue. While housing trust funds can also be a repository for private donations, they are not public/private partnerships, nor are they endowed funds operating from interest and other earnings. Click here to learn more.
National Housing Trust Fund
The national Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a dedicated fund intended to provide revenue to build, preserve, and rehabilitate housing for people with the lowest incomes. In advance of the first allocations of the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF), the National Low Income Housing Coalition is working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia so that the HTF benefits ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. For information about your state, Click Here. For more information on the National Housing Trust Fund, Click Here.
How Housing Trust Funds Work
The popularity of housing trust funds is attributable in large part to their inherent flexibility. They can be designed to serve the most critical housing needs in each community, whatever those may be. Defining the key elements of your housing trust fund proposal is a critical first step toward establishing a housing trust fund that will be efficient, effective, and responsive to your community’s needs. To learn more, click here.
Publication and Resource Library
The Housing Trust Fund Project provides a wide array of resources available for download to assist in the development and an implementation of housing trust funds. For links to an example document library, Housing Trust Fund Project publications, and our Newsletter archive, click here.