GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. -- In Congress, initial votes are possible this week on the Biden administration's budget reconciliation bill. From child care to affordable housing, Minnesota's community action agencies say there's real hope about giving struggling families the tools for long-term success.

The proposal known as Build Back Better is separate from the recently approved infrastructure plan.

One area the reconciliation package is poised to address is affordable housing.

Isaac Meyer, housing development director for KOOTASCA Community Action in northern Minnesota, said a lack of housing development and skyrocketing rents creates a vicious cycle for low-income families. On top of that, there is only so much current aid to go around.

"For our folks doing the crisis housing and homelessness services, we're able to serve as many people as we have funding, but no more," Meyer explained. "And that means so many families go simply unserved."

The plan includes nearly $25 billion for Housing Choice Vouchers.

Meyer argued it will empower more families to find something to meet their needs. As for child care, agencies say $100 billion for affordable care for kids ages birth to five is another investment which will have a long-term positive effect. Republicans and some Senate Democrats still raise concerns about the size of the bill, tying it to inflation.

But supporters said the changes address roadblocks holding many families back.

Maria Steen, child care aware manager for the Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership in the northwestern region, said another plan to cap families' child-care costs at no more than 7% of their income would be transformational.

"I know a lot of families that make choices about their family size, like family planning, because they can't afford child care," Steen observed.

She noted when families often spend roughly 25% of their income on child care, it can keep them out of the workforce. A cap would eliminate a difficult decision for many households.

Annie Shaprio, advocacy director for the Minnesota Community Action Partnership, said Build Back Better represents a cross-section of needs and services that could play a tremendous role in shaping a family's future. And because it is multi-year funding, there is opportunity for real change.

"The ability to actually implement programs that have longer tails, that can be ramped up," Shaprio urged. "Programs on the ground have time to establish, to start to run, to see the benefit, is the way that people and families will actually experience the impact."

Temperatures are dropping in the Commonwealth and community action agencies said help is available for those struggling to pay their heating bills.

The federal Home Energy Assistance Program helps households making less than 60% of the state median income, which for a family of four is just under $95,000.

Liz Berube, executive director of the community action agency Citizens for Citizens, serving the Fall River and Taunton area, called the eligibility requirements very generous.

"These are clearly for people who work, or you were working and you're laid off, you're on worker's comp, people who slip through the cracks," Berube outlined. "This could be the program for you."

Berube pointed out the website HeatingHelpMA.org has information on heating and other energy savings programs, as well as a link to an online application portal.

The Department of Public Utilities recently approved natural gas rate hikes for National Grid and Eversource customers. Monthly bills could increase from 11% to 30%.

Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, said she is already hearing from her constituents in the Second Essex District, wondering how they will make it through the winter.

"Every single day, the biggest call to our office is housing insecurity and how am I going to heat my home," Lovely reported. "How am I going to be able to stay in my home?"

Lovely is grateful for the federal, state and local partnerships making the heating aid program possible.

Joe Diamond, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than twenty community action agencies helping families apply for needed services, said keeping people warm is about more than lowering energy bills.

"It is a health program. It's a safety program. It's a housing preservation program," Diamond explained. "It is also a program that allows people to access other programs."

Diamond noted if households qualify for heating help, they automatically qualify for weatherization programs, which can include new insulation, appliances or heating systems. Public safety officials stressed the programs save both money and lives. They emphasized well-maintained heating equipment is much less likely to cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.


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The Save the Children Action Network is asking Iowans to support candidates in the upcoming election who invest time and political muscle in solving children's issues.

Paige Chickering, Iowa state manager for the Save the Children Action Network, is reminding voters about the importance of early education, high-quality affordable child care and school meals for kids. She noted a growing percentage of them are hungry and their families rely on some form of government help.

"In Iowa specifically, USDA data show that about 40% of SNAP beneficiaries -- and that's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- are children," Chickering explained. "About one in six children, 15.4%, face hunger in Iowa, according to a Feeding America study."

Chickering pointed out the Save the Children Action Network has endorsed a slate of bipartisan candidates in statewide races who have adopted strong positions on children's issues, including taking on hunger in Iowa.

Chickering highlighted a Ready Nation study shows the critical shortage of child care options in Iowa is costing the state at least $1.2 billion in parents' lost wages and productivity every year. She added helping kids should not be up for debate.

"The issue of prioritizing children in Iowa is a really, truly bipartisan issue," Chickering asserted. "It's been really clear from all the people that we've worked with, our volunteers, everyone we've spoken with, that this is something that everyone is prioritizing."

The action network is also calling on Iowa politicians to approve the summer "Sun Bucks" program in 2025, which would make food available to lower-income families when kids are out of school for the summer. Iowa opted out of the program this year.

Advocates in the antipoverty community said lawmakers are not doing enough to help people escape poverty.

They said the inaction is increasing the number of ALICE families in Arkansas and nationwide. ALICE families are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed, which means they are working but do not earn enough money to cover their expenses.

Wade Rathke, founder and chief organizer of the nonprofit ACORN International, said lawmakers need to adjust the federal poverty line to assist more people.

"If the poverty line doesn't reflect reality, then people suffer," Rathke stressed. "Some members of Congress have advanced a bill to more realistically set the poverty level but given the dysfunction and general election year inertia, there hasn't even been a vote."

He added many states, especially in the South, are setting benefits as low as possible.

The current federal poverty line is $31,200 a year for a family of four. According to the United Way, in 2021 about 36 million households met the criteria to be labeled ALICE. The organization has seen a significant increase in calls to its 211 call centers from people seeking help with housing, child care and utilities.

Rathke pointed out more families are suffering as pandemic subsidies are gone.

"Even working families with income over $100,000 are calling because they can't make groceries given all of household costs," Rathke reported. "Two-worker parented families have no savings or ability to handle emergencies."

Advocates said part of the problem is the cost of groceries is used to determine the poverty line but families are spending more on housing, rent and utilities.

This story is based on original reporting by Wade Rathke for The Chief Organizer Blog.


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