Menendez, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Host Roundtable Focused on Housing Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressional Hispanic Caucus (“CHC”) Vice Chair of Policy Rob Menendez and CHC Chairman Adriano Espaillat hosted a roundtable discussion yesterday with CHC members and national housing advocates on the housing affordability crisis and the Trump Administration’s counterproductive and anti-immigrant housing agenda.

During the roundtable, attendees spoke about the challenges and opportunities Latino constituencies face in accessing safe and affordable housing, growing homeownership, protecting renters, and generating economic development to make neighborhoods stronger and more vibrant. They also discussed how the Trump Administration’s chaotic agenda — including cuts to critical federal housing programs, immigration enforcement, and tariffs — is worsening the affordability crisis and creating instability for Latino communities.  

“We know that securing housing is a major challenge for all families, especially those from the Latino community,” said CHC Vice Chair of Policy Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “I’m proud that we brought together national leaders, policy experts, and advocates to ensure we are focused on federal policies that address these challenges in the most meaningful way. This discussion reaffirmed that housing is critical for everyone’s quality of life, and that we still have work to do to address the disparities that Latino households face.”

“The roundtable highlighted the housing crisis across America and how families have to pay sometimes over 50 percent of their income toward rent, and how homeownership is in peril. Solutions and proposals discussed there will lead us to a direction where we can address that crisis,” said CHC Chairman Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “I commend Congressman Menendez for putting together this important event at a time when political noise threatens to drown out the core issues that affect the daily lives of so many Americans.”

In addition to Vice Chair of Policy Menendez and Chairman Espaillat, the following Members of Congress were present at the roundtable:

• Rep. Andrea Salinas, CHC Vice Chair of Member Engagement
• Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán
• Rep. Pablo José Hernández
• Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández
• Rep. Nellie Pou

The following policy experts and advocates participated in the roundtable:

• David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference
• Lisette Orellana Engel, Director of Economic Policy, UnidosUS
• Jorge González-Hermoso, Senior Research Associate, the Urban Institute
• Lisa Herrera, Vice President of Affordable Housing, Raza Development Fund
• Kim Johnson, Senior Director of Policy, National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Noëlle Porter, Director of Government Affairs, National Housing Law Project
• Monica Reid, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, National Fair Housing Alliance
• Sara Rodriguez, former President and Chairperson of the Hispanic Wealth Project, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals
• Jessica Venegas, Principal of Strategic Partnerships, Community Solutions