Dear Senators Thune and Schumer,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to urge you to support the inclusion of S. 978, the “Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder (HELPER) Act,” into H.R. 6644, the “Housing for the 21st Century Act,” which is being considered on the Senate floor this week.
The men and women of law enforcement, who work tirelessly every day to protect our communities, are struggling to find homes in the jurisdictions they serve that they can afford on a public servant’s salary. The “HELPER Act” creates more opportunities for law enforcement officers to buy their first homes by establishing a program similar to the one administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand housing opportunities for service members and veterans. The “HELPER Act” would eliminate the downpayment requirement and the monthly mortgage insurance premium for first-time homebuyers. This will greatly expand the affordable housing options for law enforcement officers and their families.
The law enforcement profession is facing a recruitment and retention crisis, and we as a profession are collectively searching for ways to make a career in law enforcement more attractive to potential recruits and provide veteran officers with incentives to continue their service. Housing availability and affordability is a top concern for rookies and veteran officers alike, and we believe that benefits and programs like the those established by the “HELPER Act” will help agencies recruit and retain the officers they need to protect their communities. We believe the inclusion of the “HELPER Act” into H.R. 6644 would provide law enforcement officers and their families a safer and more sustainable path toward homeownership.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I hope you will once again
demonstrate your support for law enforcement by working with us and our members to ensure the inclusion of the “HELPER Act” in the “Housing for the 21st Century Act” as it moves through the Senate this week. If I can provide any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President