U.S. CONGRESSMAN EVERTON BLAIR DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR HIGH HOUSING COSTS; COSPONSORS THREE BILLS

October 16, 2026
Press Release

Media Contact:

Allison Phipps, Allison.Phipps@mail.house.gov; Amya Enlow, Amya.Enlow@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Everton Blair Jr. (GA-13) called out Congressional Republicans and Donald Trump for ignoring the nation’s escalating housing crisis, highlighting the direct toll that policy inaction is taking on families across Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. 

In GA-13, rampant source-of-income discrimination remains an often insurmountable barrier to housing stability. Outside of Atlanta proper, current law fails to prevent landlords from turning away Section 8 voucher holders, leaving low-income families unable to secure stable housing even when they possess federal rental assistance.

"Housing costs everywhere have risen OUT OF CONTROL. And a major barrier we face here in GA-13 is widespread voucher discrimination," said Congressman Blair. "When landlords turn away Section 8 recipients simply because of how they pay rent, it leaves working families stranded. We must pass federal protections to end this practice once and for all."

This local reality  is part of a broader national housing crisis fueled by an unacknowledged recession and an unsustainable cost of living. Reckless tariffs continue to drive up costs for raw building materials, hindering new construction across the country. Meanwhile, under the Republican’s One Big Ugly Bill many of the critical consumer-friendly housing tax credits that were passed under the Inflation Reduction Act have been eliminated.  At the same time, international conflicts and the Administration’s haphazard use of tariffs as a staple of their thoughtless foreign policy, are driving up costs across the board. This not only increases the cost of  building materials, but also daily essentials like utilities, groceries, and rent, leaving working families struggling to stretch every paycheck. 

Rather than addressing these hardships, Donald Trump and his administration have shown complete contempt for working families. Instead of delivering relief, they have actively moved to gut core Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offices and programs and refused to embrace  comprehensive bipartisan solutions like the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed into law with no help or support from the President.

"Housing is a human right. People are struggling," Congressman Blair emphasized. "Eviction is the last sign, but it takes place after a long cycle of policy inaction and economic insecurity. We cannot allow families to be priced out of places to sleep while Congress ignores them."

To directly address these compounding pressures, Congressman Blair has co-sponsored three major federal initiatives:

  • H.R. 6771 – The Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025: This legislation invests directly in constructing and rehabilitating affordable apartments, expanding housing vouchers, and improving living conditions in rural and Native communities. It provides critical funding to remediate hazardous living conditions like lead paint and toxic mold, offers down payment grants for first-generation homebuyers, and funds energy-efficient building upgrades to permanently lower monthly utility bills. [Full Text]
  • H.R. 4872 – The Ending Homelessness Act: With national data showing a national shortage of 7.1 million affordable homes and over 770,000 unhoused individuals, this bill transforms the Housing Choice Voucher program into a universal federal entitlement, expands permanent supportive housing, and institutes a nationwide federal ban on housing discrimination based on source of income and veteran status. [Full Text]
  • H.R. 4069 - The Down payment Toward Equity Act: This proposed legislation creates a $100 billion federal grant program offering direct financial aid at closing for first-time, first-generation homebuyers. Eligible buyers can use these grants for down payments, closing fees, or interest rate buydowns to significantly lower upfront costs and monthly mortgage payments. By targeting buyers without access to generational family wealth, the bill removes the primary barrier to purchasing a home, restoring homeownership opportunities and helping narrow the racial wealth gap. [Full Text]

Congressman Blair urges House Leadership to bring H.R. 6771, H.R. 4872 and H.R. 4069 to the House floor for an immediate vote. It is time for Congress to do its job, set aside partisan stalling, and deliver real, immediate relief to vulnerable and struggling Americans across the country.

HOUSING RESOURCES & ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTITUENTS

Our office is committed to ensuring constituents have access to local and federal housing resources:

  • Housing Choice Vouchers & HUD Programs: To learn about federal rental assistance and local housing authority programs, visit HUD.gov.
  • Constituent Services Support: For help with federal housing programs or local casework, contact the GA-13 District Office at (770) 210-5073 or visit blair.house.gov.

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