Affordable Housing Finance-Service Coordination Expansion

The Expanding Service Coordinators Act would boost the main programs that fund service coordinators.

Legislation has been introduced to significantly expand service coordination in federally funded affordable housing developments.

The Expanding Service Coordinators Act (H.R. 5177) seeks to authorize an additional $100 million annually for five years to the Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator program and authorize $45 million annually for five years for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency service coordinator program. These are the two primary programs that fund service coordinators at federally assisted housing.

In addition, the bill would authorize a new $37 million grant program through the Health Resources and Services Administration to award 150 grants to eligible properties to fund service coordinators.

H.R. 5177 would also include service coordinators in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and establish a much-needed training set-aside.

“Federally assisted housing offers individuals and families permanent and supportive housing and supportive services they need to lead stable and productive lives,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) “Service coordinators are essential to these programs, but, unfortunately, federal programs that employ service coordinators are severely underfunded. The legislation I’m introducing today would increase federal funding for service coordinator programs and make important reforms to these programs to improve the capacity and retention of service coordinators.”

Smith was joined by Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) in introducing the bill.

The Expanding Service Coordinators Act is endorsed by a number of organizations, including the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC), LeadingAge, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, Local Initiatives Support Corp., National Church Residences, Volunteers of America National Services, and WinnCompanies.

“This historic federal funding bill prioritizes the needs of older adults, empowers families with the resources they need to become self-sufficient, and grows supportive affordable housing across the country—in short, it is everything that a bill from Congress should strive to do,” said Michelle Missler, president and CEO of AASC.

Service coordinators promote housing stability among a population that often faces housing insecurity and help seniors and other residents with high needs avoid institutionalized care, according to officials. In addition, they connect individuals and families living in affordable housing with a wide range of social services, including health care, meals, transportation, job training, and education.

“Service coordinators are the linchpin connecting low-income older residents living in federally assisted housing to such critical services as transportation and physician appointments. The work they do helps to reduce older adults’ need for emergency room visits, longer stays in the hospital or transfers to higher levels of care,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge., which helped craft the bill. “Mission-driven affordable senior housing providers, including thousands of LeadingAge members, are eager to hire more service coordinators. The Expanding Service Coordinators Act would help to achieve that goal by expanding the number of service coordinators in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-assisted homes, creating the first pool of federal funding for service coordinators in low-income housing tax credit communities, and supporting service coordinator training and education. LeadingAge is grateful to Representative Smith for being a champion of service coordinators and recognizing their critical role in affordable housing communities.”