It all comes back to housing

In communities across America, the fundamental human need for shelter is reaching the crisis point. One need only look at homeless people on the streets in any large city to know that we must do more.

As we enter a new decade, it is increasingly apparent that addressing our vast, unmet housing needs will also aid in solving many of our nation's other major looming challenges.

Issues like the climate crisis, health care, economic equality, and social equity are all tied into housing. How and where we live is fundamental to a sustainable low carbon future, keeping cars off the road, and making communities more livable.

Housing is health, too. Lack of adequate shelter can increase health care costs, particularly for lower income vulnerable populations, who should be getting relief, not added burden.

And reversing and mitigating the consequences of decades long housing discrimination against communities of color, which has created a generational wealth gap, is one of the most profound ways to deal with income inequality.

Earlier this year, I wrote a report titled "Locked out: Reversing Failures and Unlocking Opportunity" with many of my ideas to solve these housing issues and more.

In Congress, I've been working with some of my progressive colleagues like Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Pramila Jayapal, and Ayanna Pressley to make significant progressive reform to our federal housing policy. This week we all took to the floor of the House of Representatives to demand action on this extremely critical issue.

Housing is a human right and I'm going to continue the fight in Congress to ensure the federal government recognizes that fact. It's past time for the federal government to get back in the game of housing policy and provide the cornerstone to solve of our nation's most pressing issues.

But I can't do it alone. Chip in $3 now to keep up the fight for fair housing!

Earl