Why It Matters
The National NeighborWorks Association (NNA) is lobbying to maintain federal funding following a Presidential budget proposal to eliminate the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation in fiscal year 2026. The executive proposal allocated $27 million for an "orderly wind-down" of the corporation, while Congress approved $77.3 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) February 2026. This lobbying effort is timed with the advancement of the ROAD to Housing Act and the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which contain provisions for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and housing counseling.
By the Numbers
The National NeighborWorks Association reported $60,000 in in-house lobbying expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2025. The organization has recorded 38 total disclosures and $491,000 in cumulative federal lobbying spending since 2003.
The association has paid Frontline Government Relations LLC $200,000 across five disclosures on specialized appropriations work since 2025. Internally, the organization has spent $180,000 across 18 filings since 2021. Between 2003 and 2009, the organization spent $111,000 with Robert A. Rapoza Associates on Transportation-HUD appropriations.
The Agenda
The National NeighborWorks Association’s lobbying agenda focuses on securing federal appropriations and supporting specific provisions in housing reform. Through Frontline Government Relations LLC, the organization targets budget and housing issues.
Legislative priorities include reauthorizing the HOME Investment Partnerships Program through the ROAD to Housing Act and supporting H.R. 6644, which contains Section 201 provisions to reform the HOME program and increase flexibility for local governments to develop affordable housing.
Broader Context
In July 2025, the Senate Banking Committee passed the ROAD to Housing Act (S. 2651) with a 24 to 0 vote while the House of Representatives passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644) by a vote of 390 to 9 in February 2026.
The HUD funding bill for fiscal year 2026 provides $1.25 billion for the HOME program and $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program. This final appropriation restored funding for programs the executive branch proposed to eliminate, including the HOME program.
Between The Lines
The NNA’s lobbying effort occurs as the legislative branch seeks to update housing programs that the executive branch has proposed to consolidate or eliminate. While the administration’s budget sought to eliminate the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, the 390 to 9 House vote for H.R. 6644 indicates legislative support for modernizing federal housing grants.
By lobbying as these bills advance, the NNA aligns its funding goals with measures like the Rural Housing Service Reform Act component of the ROAD to Housing Act. This bill focuses on Section 515 mortgage decoupling, which addresses the same rural affordability issues central to the NNA’s mission.
Competitive Landscape
The National NeighborWorks Association is part of a field of entities advocating for housing policy. The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, representing 2,400 organizations, focuses on tax credit expansion. Other registered lobbyists include the City of Sacramento and the Affordable Housing Developers Council. While goals overlap, the NNA’s focus is specifically tied to the federal appropriation of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation.
The Bottom Line
The National NeighborWorks Association’s $60,000 expenditure in the fourth quarter of 2025 serves to secure its federal funding against a proposed budget elimination in fiscal year 2026. By coordinating lobbying during the movement of the 390 to 9 Housing for the 21st Century Act, the organization is working to ensure its core appropriations are maintained within a final legislative package that favors program modernization over the proposed executive "wind-down."
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