Political Quotes

“we should all be aware that the Collins- Reed amendment provides no protections to local communities on their local planning rules because it merely prohibits an activity that the rule does not contemplate. Even the sponsor of this amendment acknowledged earlier today that the amendment prohibited an activity that she believed would not occur. Make no mistake that the so-called affirmatively furthering fair housing rule will likely heavily influence local zoning decisions. However, it does so indirectly, not through direct action as in the Collins-Reed amendment. HUD advertises this fact on its own Web site, where it details how communities will have to submit for approval an assessment of fair housing and that these communities will ``use the fair housing goals and priorities established in their [assessment] to inform the investments and other decisions made in their local planning processes.'' In other words, HUD does not intend to direct any specific zoning requirements. It does, however, intend to significantly influence local zoning decisions by withholding approval of local plans until they meet HUD's central planning goals. This amendment is not sufficient on its own. I believe the only way to prevent HUD from intruding into local community planning exactly as they openly state they intend to do is to support the Lee amendment.…”