Five New England governors signed a letter earlier this week to the New England federal delegation supporting President Barack Obama’s budget recommendation of $1.8 billion for the HOME program.

Govs. Dannel Malloy (C-CT), Charlie Baker (R-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Gina Raimondo (D-RI) and Peter Shumlin (D-VT) all backed the program providing funding for rental production, rent assistance and homeownership, which U.S. House and Senate budget proposals threaten with deep cuts.

Targeted to low- or moderate-income people, the HOME program was authorized in 1990 as part of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, and can be used to build new houses, rehabilitate existing housing, help purchase a first home or provide rental assistance.

HOME funds can also be used for historic rehabilitation and transit-oriented development.

Between fiscal year 2011 and fiscal year 2015, HOME funding was cut from $1.6 billion to $900 million. Under the most recent proposals from Congress, HOME is being recommended for $66 million under the Senate Appropriations Committee proposal, and $766 million in appropriated funds under the House proposal.

“As governors, we are particularly attuned to the problems of both housing for our workforce and for our most vulnerable citizens,” the letter reads. “The HOME program is a critically important part of our overall housing strategy. … As you consider funding priorities for fiscal year 2016, we speak together on a bipartisan basis in favor of an increased federal/state partnership on the issue of affordable housing.”

According to a report from the HOME Coalition, HOME funds and leveraged public and private resources have helped build or preserve nearly 1.2 million affordable homes and provide direct rental assistance to 270,000 families at risk of homelessness since 1992.