Please read letter below. Then pledge your support for Bill H.R. 1780
Dear Supporter,
Congress has set a priority for passage of a tax reform bill before the end of 2017. That legislation is likely to be a big package with many smaller proposals. One initiative Congress should wrap into the tax measure is HR 1780, the Senior Accessible Housing Act, which provides a tax credit of up to $30,000 for age-friendly home renovations.
HR 1780 aligns the interests of millions of American consumers who want to age in place, innovative industries that produce and install home products and technologies, and businesses and agencies that serve people in those homes. It has the additional potential to create health-care savings in the form of avoided falls, hospitalizations, and other institutional care. This bill was introduced by Democrat Charlie Crist from Florida and has received bipartisan support from 12 representatives. See https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1780 .
HomesRenewed, whose mission is to drive policy for incentives to grow the number of homes that facilitate vibrant and autonomous living for residents throughout their lifespan, has prepared the attached letter on HR 1780 as part of a broader outreach effort with members of Congress. We are writing to ask your support for this initiative. We believe there is greater likelihood of passage if we can demonstrate industry and community support. We will reach out to Congressman Crist, House Ways and Means Committee members and other legislators urging them to incorporate HR 1780 into any tax reform package under consideration in this Congress.
Though HR 1780 limits its beneficiaries to homeowners over 60 years old, the legislation nonetheless would motivate home upgrades by millions of Americans. Efforts toward passage of this bill will also elevate this topic in the national agenda.
HomesRenewed plans additional activities relevant to HR 1780 and other measures to incentivize age-friendly home renovation. We have a research agenda to develop evidence and information needed to support the bill and the program. We will help shape the regulations once the bill becomes law. We will build grassroots support for local and state initiatives for upgrading American homes.
Please review the letter below and get back to us by November 13, 2017 to confirm your support and permission to include your company as signatory to the letter. Please pledge your support. Please contact us if we can help secure your organization’s support. We also seek support from grassroots organizations and individual consumers.
We hope to hear from you soon. Please contact Susan or Louis with your questions and comments. Also, please forward this request to your friends and colleagues. We need a big tent with lots of stakeholders to make this happen.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Susan Kimmel, 202-686-9657, Susan@HomesRenewed.org
Louis Tenenbaum, 301-983-0131, Louis@HomesRenewed.org
Homes Renewed
Transforming Homes and Lives
Dear Representative XX:
We write to express support for H.R. 1780, the Senior Accessible Housing Act, and urge its inclusion in any tax reform measure Congress advances in this session. H.R. 1780 provides modest incentives for investment in age-friendly home modifications that would have far-reaching health and economic consequences for American families and businesses.
Millions of Americans of all income levels and backgrounds share a common goal: to live and thrive throughout their lifespans in their own homes. Investment in products and technologies that boost home safety and accessibility will not only advance this goal but also potentially produce substantial savings in healthcare costs associated with avoided falls, hospital admissions, and other expensive institutional care.
Unfortunately, the country’s housing stock currently is woefully ill-equipped to meet the needs of older adults. The good news is that American businesses are stepping up to address this gap by developing communications technologies, home hardware, other products that foster safe, independent, social residential environments. The tax credit of up to $30,000 provided to older adults under H.R. 1780 would encourage American families to invest in adapting their homes to serve their needs while at the same time boosting the business climate for innovative home product and technology industries and those providing services to older adults in their homes.
We, the undersigned organizations and companies, are focused on transforming America’s homes to help older adults enjoy vibrant and autonomous residential living. We stand ready to serve as a resource and to work with you going forward to advance H. R. 1780 and any similar common-sense initiative to support age-friendly housing innovation.
Respectfully,
HomesRenewed and supporters