HOUSING
10
AG James Calls on Congress to Increase Funding for Public Housing
N
ew York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in strongly urging Congress to invest in the nation’s public housing systems. In a joint letter to congressional leadership, Attorney General James and the coalition express concern that the $40 billion in funding for public housing allocated as part of President Joseph Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan — although a good start — is insufficient to address the years of neglect and underfunding towards the nation’s public housing systems. The coalition, instead, estimates that the nation’s public housing portfolio requires at least $70 billion for capital needs to return to a good state of repair, growing to $90 billion through 2030. Additionally, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the federal government to commit to providing a dedicated fund for Public Housing Authorities (PHA) that need lead abatement. “The right to safe and adequate housing is a human right, and our nation’s public
housing stock plays a critical role in granting low-income families access to that right,” said Attorney General James. “But adequate housing requires adequate funding, and for far too long, our nation’s policy towards public housing has been one of neglect. The time for change is now. While $40 billion is a good start, it’s simply not enough. We are calling on Congress to renew its commitment to supporting public housing and the individuals that rely on it for stability by finally giving public housing the actual funding it needs and deserves.” Because of its reach and its ability to serve low-income families that might otherwise become homeless, public housing is a vital resource for cities, neighborhoods, and the 1.2 million families that call it home. In order to keep public housing units affordable for lowincome families, federal regulations cap rents at 30 percent of a family’s income. While this cap ensures affordability, the amount of rent collected by the nation’s 3,300 PHAs is insufficient to cover the
A 501 (c)(3) organization
We unlock the potential power of your communications.
lRadio Host Training & Streaming lIntroduction to Investigative Journalism lPodcast Training & Production lMarketing Concepts: Print & Online lBlogging Boot Camp lNewsletter Development Boot Camp lWebsite Business Plan Design Concepts lEvent Planning & Strategies
Visit www.nycmediatraining.org or call 212-470-2730
costs of operating and maintaining the properties they oversee. When the federal public housing program was created in 1937, it was understood that PHAs would need ongoing operating and capital support from the federal government to close the gap between the rents charged to those in public housing and the actual cost of building operations and maintenance. The amount that each PHA is entitled to receive from the federal government is set each year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through a formula. However, it is Congress that appropriates money to these funds, and, in most years, the appropriation does not match the total amount that PHAs require for maintenance and operation under the formula. In recent years, especially, as Attorney General James and the coalition notes, the political will has not existed to fully fund the gap between public housing rents paid and the cost of building operations and maintenance. For example, the amount appropriated by Congress has only matched the need, as stated by HUD, twice between 2000 and 2018, and, in some years, the amount has been less than 85 percent of the need. Further, in the past 10 years alone, the Public Housing Operations budget has been reduced by nearly $1 billion. This has resulted in a massive backlog in necessary repairs and maintenance and has led to deteriorating and damaging conditions for the families living in public housing. In the letter, Attorney General James and the coalition call on Congress to allocate sufficient funds to address the repair backlog, a forward-facing commitment to fund capital funding gaps, and a dedicated fund for lead remediation. Specifically, the coalition also notes that HUD estimates that 62,000 public housing apartments need lead abatement, but the amount of funding made available to PHAs for abatement has been a mere drop in the bucket. For example, in 2019, $27.8 million was awarded to 38 public housing agencies, but these grants came out of funds, which are already insufficient to meet existing capital needs. Attorney General James and the coalition urge the federal government to commit to providing a dedicated fund for PHAs that need lead abatement to ensure the health and safety of children living in public housing. Joining Attorney General James in signing the letter today are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.l
Fair Housing/ continued from page 8
from research by Ann Choi et al. and reported in Newsday. The findings from the 3-year investigation revealed widespread unequal treatment of different minority groups by real estate agents on Long Island. According to the report, minority groups have different treatments—over 18% Asians, 35% Hispanics, and 48% Blacks. The report shows blacks go through the most discriminatory treatments as potential homebuyers and communities than other minority groups on Long Island. Interestingly, the Long Island's leading residential brokers contributed immensely to the racial separations. The report revealed that these brokers often directed their white customers toward whitedominated neighborhoods and directed the minority buyers to more integrated neighborhoods. These brokers also avoided conducting business in communities with a large minority population. According to her,"…sometimes, people think they are discriminated against, you have to do your work to be sure that you are seeking help from experts. She explained that although it is more difficult now, and first-time homebuyers especially are prone to making mistakes, having adequate information enables them to avoid making an expensive mistake. The panelists recommended resources that are useful in gathering the required data to help people navigate the treachery waters of homeownership. On the side of the government, there is a continuous effort to support an end to housing discrimination. Several campaigns to raise awareness are being sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The campaign under Biden's administration strives to recognize efforts to end housing discrimination by increasing awareness of fair housing rights in communities across the country and striving toward achieving racial equity. Consequently, it is essential to seek expert judgment, such as getting advice on your income level, knowing your housing rights, research resources. Relevant nonprofits and agencies such as the NYS Department for Human Rights Housing are good resources. After all, every person should live in a safe and comfortable home without fear of harm or intimidation. l
VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC!
