Below is the copy from a letter from Louis Tenenbaum and Susan Kimmel to rally support for a bill that grants tax breaks for people over 60 doing home modifications for aging in place. Great for home mod businesses.
Here is a place to support this bill: https://www.countable.us/bills/hr1780-115-senior-accessible-housing-act/community
Below is the letter. I got way behind on my emails so this is a couple of weeks old.
HomesRenewedTM kicks off lobbyingcampaign for H.R.1780
Dear Robert,
Congress has set a priority for passage of a tax reform bill before the end of2017. 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, theSenior Accessible Housing Act, which provides a tax credit of up to $30,000 forage-friendly home renovations.
HR 1780 aligns the interests of millions of American consumers who want toage in place, innovative industries that produce and install home products andtechnologies, and businesses and agencies that serve people in those homes.It has the additional potential to create health-care savings in the form ofavoided falls, hospitalizations, and other institutional care. This bill was
introduced by Democrat Charlie Crist from Florida and has received bipartisan
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 thenumber of homes that facilitate vibrant and autonomous living for residentsthroughout their lifespan, has prepared the attached letter on HR 1780 as partof a broader outreach effort with members of Congress. We are writing to askyour support for this initiative. We believe there is greater likelihood of passageif we can demonstrate industry and community support. We will reach out toCongressman Crist, House Ways and Means Committee members and otherlegislators urging them to incorporate HR 1780 into any tax reform packageunder consideration in this Congress.
Though HR 1780 limits its beneficiaries to homeowners over 60 years old, thelegislation nonetheless would motivate home upgrades by millions ofAmericans. Efforts toward passage of this bill will also elevate this topic in thenational agenda.
HomesRenewed plans additional activities relevant to HR 1780 and othermeasures to incentivize age-friendly home renovation. We have a researchagenda to develop evidence and information needed to support the bill and theprogram. We will help shape the regulations once the bill becomes law. We willbuild grassroots support for local and state initiatives for upgrading Americanhomes.
Please review the letter below and get back to us by November 3, 2017 toconfirm your support and permission to include your company as signatory tothe letter. Please pledge your support. Please contact us if we can help secureyour organization’s support. We also seek support from grassrootsorganizations and individual consumers.
We hope to hear from you soon. Please contact Susan or Louis with yourquestions and comments. Also, please forward this request to your friends andcolleagues. We need a big tent with lots of stakeholders to make this happen.
Thank you for your support.Sincerely,
Susan Kimmel, 202-686-9657, [email protected]
Louis Tenenbaum, 301-983-0131, [email protected] 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 thissession. H.R. 1780 provides modest incentives for investment in age-friendlyhome modifications that would have far-reaching health and economicconsequences for American families and businesses.
Millions of Americans of all income levels and backgrounds share a commongoal: to live and thrive throughout their lifespans in their own homes.Investment in products and technologies that boost home safety andaccessibility will not only advance this goal but also potentially producesubstantial savings in healthcare costs associated with avoided falls, hospitaladmissions, and other expensive institutional care.
Unfortunately, the country’s housing stock currently is woefully ill-equipped tomeet the needs of older adults. The good news is that American businessesare stepping up to address this gap by developing communicationstechnologies, home hardware, other products that foster safe, independent,social residential environments. The tax credit of up to $30,000 provided toolder adults under H.R. 1780 would encourage American families to invest inadapting their homes to serve their needs while at the same time boosting thebusiness climate for innovative home product and technology industries andthose providing services to older adults in their homes.
We, the undersigned organizations and companies, are focused ontransforming America’s homes to help older adults enjoy vibrant and
transforming America’s homes to help older adults enjoy vibrant and
autonomous residential living. We stand ready to serve as a resource and towork 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