Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar announced her $1 trillion affordable housing program to provide “homes for all,” including illegal immigrants.
The Democratic congresswoman revealed her “Homes for All Act” on Thursday, which would complement New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal by building 12 million housing units to the highest environmental standards.
In her announcement, Omar, 38, explained that her affordable housing plan would ensure that no one is denied access to public housing, no matter their gender identity, race, sexuality, or immigration status.
No one in the wealthiest county in the world should be forced to sleep on the streets.
Today I am introducing the Homes for All Act, a bold 21st century vision to build 12 million new public & affordable housing units and guarantee housing as a human right. #HomesforAll pic.twitter.com/muWeTfnqLT
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) November 21, 2019
“We will prohibit any discrimination against residents based on sexual orientation, gender, criminal history or immigration status,” Omar explained, later adding, “Doing the Homes for All really gets us closer to having the America I imagined be realized and I’m really excited for the opportunity to now be in a position of influence to get that done.”
This would break from the Trump administration’s affordable housing policies. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson announced in May that undocumented families would be denied taxpayer-funded housing in order to make room for citizens in need of public housing.
Omar, who came to America as a refugee at age 12, noted that she was haunted by people living on the streets when she came to the United States. She vowed to make housing a human right.
It’s past time we guaranteed housing as a human right.
So today, I’m introducing the #HomesForAll Act to:
?️ Green-light construction of 12 million public and affordable housing units
⬇️ Drive down costs throughout the market
? Create a new vision for public housing in the U.S. https://t.co/jULuvKLfbo— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 21, 2019
Omar did not detail how her $1 trillion plan would be funded. Her office told the Star Tribune that Republicans never explained how they could afford the $2.2 trillion tax cuts from their 2017 bill or the $6 trillion spent on wars in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, suggesting that she does not need to provide a funding strategy.
