Joel Hefley: “imagine how many single family homes and apartment buildings could be built for $1 billion. That is the amount the…”

“imagine how many single family homes and apartment buildings could be built for $1 billion. That is the amount the Inspector General at the Department of Housing and Urban Development reports has been wastefully spent. In several different reports, the Inspector General details wasteful spending ranging from overpayments to pure abuse. One report identified $935 million in Federal housing subsidy overpayments during 1998 in HUD's assisted living programs. The overpayments resulted from the HUD's inability to accurately know if recipients qualified based on income or housing benefits. It has been estimated that $935 million could provide housing assistance to 150,000 needy families. Another report on a Bronx, New York, housing project uncovered ineligible and unnecessary expenses totaling $258,000. The audit uncovered expenses totaling $26,000 that was either unnecessary for the project's operation or not supported by adequate documentation, including $13,000 for unnecessary telephone charges and $10,000 for unnecessary cab fares. The Department of Housing and Urban Development gets my porker of the week award.”