Housing
Congressman Cohen has consistently fought for fair housing policies and increased federal investment in affordable housing. He strongly supports efforts to prevent predatory practices in the home mortgage loan industry to protect future or current homebuyers and homeowners.
He secured a $30 million federal grant in 2015 from the Choice Neighborhood program to redevelop Foote Homes and bring much- needed revitalization to Memphis. The Choice Neighborhoods program was an initiative of the Obama Administration that sought to transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable, mixed-income areas with access to economic opportunities. The program revitalized severely distressed public and assisted housing by leveraging and investing in well-functioning services, effective schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation and improved access to jobs. Memphis was one of only nine cities to receive this grant that year.
He has also worked to shed light on the mismanagement of several low-income, public housing facilities in Memphis including Peppertree Apartments, Goodwill Village, Tulane Apartments, and Warren Apartments.
During his tenure in Congress, Congressman Cohen has introduced legislation like the Housing Accountability Act, alongside Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), which would hold property owners of low-income, federally- subsidized housing facilities accountable for poor living conditions. By working across the aisle, some of the important provisions of the Housing Accountability Act were passed by the House and Senate and signed into law, increasing the accountability of landlords managing federally subsidized housing facilities to prevent chronic, persistent issues that threaten the health and safety of tenants.
He has also introduced the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Equity Act, which would update the current CDBG funding formula and adopt a single formula based on factors that currently reflect need. Currently, Memphis is not receiving its fair share of federal funds due to the outdated formula.
More on Housing
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today reintroduced the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act, legislation to help American families cover the cost of eliminating lead from their homes. The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would significantly broaden the national response to this threat to public health by providing refundable tax credits for homeowners, landlords, and tenants to remove lead from homes.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reintroduced the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Equity Act, which would update the current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG funding criteria and adopt a single formula for grants based on factors reflecting current needs.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) will attend and speak at The Foote Park at South City Community Homes on Thursday, October 9. Congressman Cohen secured $750,000 for the final phase of the project on the site of the former Foote Homes through the annual appropriations process. The effort began in 2015 when Congressman Cohen secured a $30 million grant under President Obama’s Choice Neighborhoods Program.
What: A ribbon cutting at The Foote Park at South City VI Community Homes
What: A groundbreaking and press availability for Hub North, a project in the New Chicago neighborhood offering shelter and support for families without stable housing for which Congressman Cohen secured $1,275,000 in community project funding
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) led a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner on Friday urging him to reverse the cancellation of contracts and the freezing of all funding associated with the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). Congressman Cohen announced $5.2 million in GRRP funding for Wesley Stage Park in Memphis and $11.4 million for the Broadmeadow Apartments in Covington in March 2024.
Fifteen Congressional colleagues co-signed the letter.
The letter reads:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today filed a discharge petition on the House floor to force a vote on his Latonya Reeves Freedom Act. The rare parliamentary maneuver would require a vote on the measure if 218 members of Congress sign the petition. The bill currently has 222 cosponsors.
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today reintroduced the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act, legislation to help American families cover the cost of eliminating lead from their homes. The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would significantly broaden the national response to this public health challenge by providing refundable tax credits for homeowners, landlords, and tenants to remove lead from homes.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today announced that Shelby County’s Office of Re-Entry will receive a grant of $999,101 from the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide safe, affordable housing and comprehensive services to individuals upon their release from prison. The program is intended to reduce recidivism rates in Memphis and Shelby County by mitigating barriers to housing and employment.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Equity Act, which would update the current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG funding criteria and adopt a single formula for grants based on factors reflecting current needs.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that Memphis will receive $13,592,584 and Shelby County will receive $1,594,934 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Planning and Development Formula Funding for the current fiscal year.