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Rep. Jayapal proposes $300B housing bill
“Homelessness is not a personal failure, it’s a policy failure,” Jayapal said
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 17, Jul 2025
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Rep. Pramila Jayapal / Wikipedia
Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced a legislative proposal aimed at addressing the growing homelessness crisis across the United States.
The $300 billion Housing is a Human Right Act, co-led by Representative Grace Meng of New York, calls for more than $200 billion in funding for affordable housing construction and supportive services.
Also Read: Rep. Jayapal calls for law against ICE arresting US citizens
It would also allocate $27 billion annually for homelessness response programs and $100 million each year for community-led alternatives to the criminalization of unhoused individuals.
“Homelessness is not a personal failure, it’s a policy failure,” Jayapal said while introducing the bill. “It is more urgent than ever to pass this legislation to invest in our most vulnerable communities.”
The proposal comes amid a sharp rise in homelessness nationwide. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that over 750,000 people experienced homelessness in 2024 — an 18 percent increase from the previous year. Rising housing costs, a shortage of rental units, and stagnant wages have left many Americans unable to secure housing. There are currently no cities in the U.S. where a full-time minimum-wage worker can afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment.
Jayapal’s home state of Washington recorded the third-highest homeless population in the country last year. In King County alone, an estimated 16,868 people were unhoused on a single night in 2024 — a 26 percent increase over 2022.
The bill proposes directing $100 billion to McKinney-Vento Emergency Solutions Grants and another $100 billion to Continuum of Care grants. A new federal program would provide $6 billion annually to municipalities for local housing initiatives. The proposal also includes $10 billion in FEMA emergency food and shelter funding and authorizes $100 million per year for public libraries to support unhoused individuals.
Supporters say the legislation targets structural disparities in homelessness. While Black Americans comprise 13 percent of the U.S. population, they represent 40 percent of people experiencing homelessness and half of all homeless families. LGBTQIA+ youth, who make up less than 10 percent of the general population, account for up to 40 percent of homeless youth.
Jayapal, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has repeatedly called for stronger federal action on housing. She has pointed to the housing pressures in Seattle as a clear example of what she calls a “national emergency.”
“Housing is a human right — and every person deserves to have a safe place to call home,” she said.
The bill has the backing of more than two dozen Democratic lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Greg Casar. It is endorsed by national advocacy groups such as the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and local organizations based in Seattle.
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