Peter Blute: “Senior citizens in America are now living in fear. Not just because of crime on the streets, but because of crime in…”

“Senior citizens in America are now living in fear. Not just because of crime on the streets, but because of crime in their own homes--public senior housing. When this House changed Federal law to allow young drug and alcohol abusers into senior housing facilities, we brought terror into the everyday lives of elderly Americans across the country who deserve to live out their retirements in peace. Not only are our parents and grandparents subjected to loud music and all-night parties, they are being shaken down for loans, harassed, robbed, assaulted, and raped. Police who have never had to respond to a call at a senior housing building in 10 years now find themselves there on a regular basis. We need to change this law which allows former drug and alcohol abusers to be defined as disabled and given priority for senior housing. I have introduced a bill, the Senior Citizen Housing Safety Act which would keep people with current or past problems with substance abuse out of public housing where elderly people reside. We should provide treatment for drug and alcohol abusers and give them housing in appropriate facilities. We should not penalize older Americans who have worked hard, served this country, and paid taxes all their lives by making them live with this type of abuse.”