Althea Arnold

Senior Vice President for Policy and Chief Operating Officer

Althea Arnold leads the policy efforts at Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF)-- a national collaborative of 12 nonprofit affordable housing developers who own, operate and manage 145,000 affordable rental homes in 49 across the country. SAHF's mission-driven alliance advances resident-centered policy changes and sustainable solutions within the affordable housing sector. As part of this, Althea works with key policymakers in Congress, HUD, and other federal and state agencies to build support and remove barriers to the preservation and production of high-quality affordable rental housing. Althea joined SAHF as Senior Vice President, Policy in 2020. Prior to SAHF, she served as a Senior Legislative & Policy Associate at the National Council of State Housing Agencies, focusing on federal appropriations, HUD multifamily programs, and supportive housing issues. Earlier in her career Althea worked at the National Low Income Housing Coalition researching affordable housing needs to inform housing policy. Althea holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, with a concentration in nonprofit leadership, and a Bachelor of Art’s degree from Connecticut College. HFAi25 Sessions: Maximizing Resident Outcomes and Financial Stability at Properties Industry Outlook AC24 Session: Preserving Existing Permanent Supportive Housing Properties HFAi24 Sessions: Housing Credit Development Forum Industry Outlook AC23 Sessions: Managing Rising Multifamily Operating Costs Preservation of Housing for People with Special Needs HCC23 Sessions: HUD-Assisted Housing Forum, Part 1 HUD-Assisted Housing Forum, Part 2 HFAi23 Session: Industry Outlook AC22 Session: The Future of Senior Housing

House Appropriations Committee Advances FY 2018 Housing Bill Despite Funding Level Opposition

On July 17, the House Appropriations Committee voted on party lines to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) funding bill.

House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee Blunts Many Administration-Proposed Funding Cuts

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) on July 11 approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 funding bill.

House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY 2018 Rural Housing Funding Bill

On June 28, the House Appropriations Agriculture and Rural Development Subcommittee approved by voice vote its Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 funding bill, which provides funding for the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing programs.

JCHS’ Latest Report Shows Housing Recovery Not Reaching Everyone

Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) released today its annual report, The State of the Nation’s Housing 2017. This year's report highlights an uneven housing recovery one decade after the onset of the Great Recession -- with prices, housing demand, and construction activity up, but tight supply and increasing costs adding to affordability pressures. The report also demonstrates that the extent of the recovery differs significantly by metropolitan area (see figure below) and by neighborhoods, which are becoming more economically segregated.

2017 Out of Reach Report Details Rental Affordability Challenges

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released last week its annual Out of Reach report which documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing across the nation. According to the report, there is no state, metropolitan area, or county in the country where a full-time minimum wage worker can afford a modest two-bedroom rental home.

Congress Passes FY 2017 Spending Omnibus

Both the House and Senate, on May 3 and May 4, respectively, passed the FY 2017 omnibus spending package funding government agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for the remainder of FY 2017, which ends September 30. The President is expected to sign the measure today.

Trump Administration Releases FY 2018 Budget Blueprint with Deep Cuts to HUD and Elimination of HOME

The Administration sent Congress this morning its Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget blueprint, “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,” proposing deep cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other federal agencies, with the exception of the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs, which would see funding increases.

Leaked Internal HUD Budget Document Proposes $6 Billion Cut in FY 2018

Earlier today, various news sources, including the Washington Post and The Hill, published troubling reports about leaked documents indicating that the Trump Administration is considering more than $6 billion in cuts to HUD programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. According to these reports, the Administration may propose the elimination of several HUD programs, including HOME.

Congress Passes FY 2017 Stopgap Funding Bill

In the late hours of December 9, the Senate approved a House-passed Continuing Resolution (CR), HR 2028, to keep the federal government funded through April 28, 2017 and sent it to President Obama’s desk for signature just hours before the previous FY 2017 CR expired.

Trulia Report Finds Housing Credit Development has no Significant Impact on Surrounding Home Values

The authors analyzed the locations of over 3,000 properties located in the 20 least affordable metro areas and found that there was no significant effect on nearby home values resulting from Housing Credit development.