Ga. Sen Jon Ossoff: Support growing for federal housing aid for teachers, police

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff on Monday announced bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for a bill that would offer police, firefighters and teachers federal help in buying their first homes.

The Georgia Democrat said the Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator and Responder Act or HELPER ACT he introduced in early 2023 with co-sponsors Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has the backing of 25 senators on both sides of the aisle of the upper chamber.

A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., and John Rutherford, R-Fla.

“It’s unusual to have legislation with 25 co-sponsors from both parties,” Ossoff said of the Senate version during a press conference held at the north precinct of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office in McDonough, Georgia.

He added that the positive response has given him optimism for the bill’s passage.

“Passing legislation is challenging particularly given how divisive and partisan and even hateful the political atmosphere is,” he said. “This is an example of bringing Republicans and Democrats together to do what matters for our communities.”

The announcement comes as communities across the state and the nation are struggling to fill vacancies in schools and police departments because applicants can’t afford housing near their jobs.

In Henry, for example, about half of the county government’s 1,800 employees don’t live in the county because they can’t afford housing, said county commissioner Kevin Lewis, who attended the press conference.

“Having a stable teacher workforce, having a stable public safety workforce is essential to any community, especially if you want a healthy community,” he said.

Ossoff, who a week ago announced that he and fellow Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock had secured $500,000 to help fund a 28-house Habitat for Humanity development in Clayton County, said HELPER would be modeled on funding set up for veterans buying their first homes through the Federal Housing Administration.

“We believe that police officers, sheriff’s deputies, EMTs, firefighters, public teachers must be able to afford homes in the communities they serve,” Ossoff said, noting that Sunday kicked off National Police Week.

Samuel Royer, a U.S. Marine veteran who conceived HELPER, used Monday to publicly ask the leaders of both houses — Sen. Chuck Shumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., — to get behind the legislation.

“As a 27-year mortgage lender, my biggest fight was always for affordable housing, especially for people that serve in our community,” said Royer, a Florida resident.

Ossoff said helping those in public service buy their first home is a matter of fairness.

“First responders and teachers are not choosing careers in public service for the money,” he said. “They’re choosing careers in public service because they care about the communities they serve. And we should honor and reward that sacrifice.”

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