Espaillat secures vital funding increases for NYC in Omnibus Bill

Washington D.C. – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) today released the following statement on his successful push for funding increases to New York City housing and NIH in the FY2018 Omnibus.

“The FY2018 Omnibus funding package includes critical funding for priorities that matter most to working families. Investments in child care, infrastructure and housing, medical research and treatment to combat the opioid crisis, veterans’ health services and so much more will have a tremendous impact on the health, stability and wellbeing of individuals and families in communities around the nation.

“I was proud to lead a New York Delegation letter advocating for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  As a result of our hard work, this spending bill increases NIH funding by $3 billion to a total of $37 billion.  Medical researchers, institutes, and universities, as well as patients in New York’s 13th Congressional District and across the country will directly benefit from this critical increase in medical research funding.

“Through my push within the House, I was successfully able to secure critical language in this Omnibus package to save Lakeview Apartments, one of Harlem’s last remaining Mitchell-Lama buildings. By making the federal housing assistance match the building’s “street,” not market rent, my legislative language will help keep the 446 residential units affordable for the individuals, families, and seniors who call Lakeview home.

“Last year, I testified before the Appropriations Committee and weighed in to include the successful inclusion of capital increases to public housing, increases to HOME, which benefits support and senior housing, Community Development Block Grants, Homeless grants, and Section 8 vouchers,” the lawmaker said.

“I was also pleased to see a 12.5% allocation increase in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), which will hopefully serve as an incentive to invest in more affordable housing. Affordable housing is essential for successful communities, and I will continue my fight to help ensure and preserve the affordability of housing for New Yorkers and residents throughout our communities.”