Improving Access to Healthy Food

The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) is a viable, effective, and economically sustainable solution to the problem of limited access to healthy foods, and can reduce health disparities, improve the health of families and children, create jobs, and stimulate local economic development in low-income communities. HFFI would attract investment in underserved communities by providing critical loan and grant financing. These one time resources would help fresh food retailers overcome the higher initial barriers to entry into underserved, low-income rural, suburban, and urban areas. It would also support renovation and expansion of existing stores so they can provide the healthy foods that communities want and need. The program would be flexible and comprehensive enough to support innovations in healthy food retailing and to assist retailers with different aspects of the store development and renovation process. (Download HFFI 2-pager.)

Statewide Effort

The California Healthy Food Financing Initiative – Assembly Bill 2720 sponsored by Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles – would set up a program to help grocers and farmers markets open new locations in underserved neighborhoods and help existing corner stores expand to stock more fresh food.

National Effort

The congressional appropriations subcommittees have taken giant steps to support HFFI.

The President's FY 2011 Budget Proposal for HFFI requested $345 million dollars from three agencies - USDA, Treasury, and HHS.

UPDATE

As of July 29, 2010, relevant appropriation subcommittees in the House and Senate have marked up their bills for fiscal year 2011, and we are thrilled to report they have allocated the following for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative:

USDA: $50 million requested

• Action taken:
  • House Agriculture Subcommittee: $40 million
  • Senate Agriculture Subcommittee: $30 million

HHS: $20 million requested

• Action taken:
  • House Labor HHS Subcommittee: $20 million
  • Senate Labor HHS Subcommittee: $20 million

 Treasury: $25 million requested for CDFI Fund and $250 million in authority for New Markets Tax Credits

• Action taken:
  • Senate Financial Service Subcommittee: $25 million for the CDFI Fund
  • House Financial Service Subcommittee: $25 million for the CDFI Fund

No actions have been taken yet by the Senate Finance and House Ways & Means Committees which have jurisdiction on New Market Tax Credits Program.

There are additional steps needed to ensure that the Healthy Food Financing is funded.  Please keep calling on Congress to fully support HFFI.  Check back here for progress on this very important initiative.