Members urge action on housing affordability, flood insurance reform and HUD capacity during Financial Services Member Day

Representative Nellie Poe told the House Financial Services Committee that housing affordability and housing safety are urgent issues for her New Jersey district and urged the committee to prioritize legislation to increase supply, remediate lead, support down payments and renew the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

“One of the challenges that keeps my constituents up at night is housing,” Poe said, and described New Jersey as “one of the most densely populated states in the union” with a substantial shortfall of affordable homes. She said high rents, rising home prices and property taxes make it difficult for residents to buy or remain in homes.

Poe described public‑health and safety concerns: nearly two‑thirds of New Jersey housing was built before the federal ban on lead‑based paint, and her hometown of Paterson “has one of the highest level[s] in the state of children with elevated blood lead levels.” She warned of lead’s developmental harms and urged investment in remediation.

On flood insurance, Poe asked the committee to “renew and reform the national flood insurance program” to make it more affordable and fair, recommending accurate maps, flood‑risk investments, protections against unaffordable premium increases and a strengthened claims process for survivors.

Ranking member on the subcommittee (housing and insurance) emphasized HUD capacity limits and oversight needs. He said past oversight testimony from the HUD inspector general highlighted HUD’s limited ability to address program challenges and urged annual testimony from the HUD secretary (citing the HUD Accountability Act). He and others argued that excessive or uncoordinated compliance requirements across programs can increase costs and delay projects, especially for small nonprofits and minority developers.

Both witnesses and members said common‑sense reforms to HOME and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and stronger coordination with USDA rural housing programs could expand supply. Committee members asked whether resilience funding could be made available ahead of disasters; one member suggested maintaining a coffer of funds for rapid response and resilience investments.

The statements were part of Member Day testimony and committee questioning; no formal legislative action occurred during the hearing.