Dick Lugar: “I would like to thank the floor managers for agreeing to include the city of Indianapolis flexible grant demonstration…”

“I would like to thank the floor managers for agreeing to include the city of Indianapolis flexible grant demonstration amendment in the manager's amendment to S. 462. The Lugar amendment would authorize the city of Indianapolis, in coordination with its public housing authority, to receive and combine program allocations from Federal housing assistance funds so that it has the flexibility to determine the best use of these funds. This amendment has the support both of Mayor Goldsmith and of the Indianapolis Housing Authority. My flexible grant demonstration amendment would give the city of Indianapolis, in coordination with the Indianapolis Housing Authority, the ability to receive and combine covered housing assistance to which the Indianapolis Housing Authority would otherwise be entitled. Covered housing assistance is defined as operating assistance, modernization assistance, section 8 certificate and voucher programs assistance, capital and operating funds assistance, and tenant-based rental assistance. It does not include other housing assistance programs for which the city or its public housing authority would otherwise be able to compete. This demonstration program would last for 2 to 5 years and would serve a variety of purposes.”