Nydia M. Velazquez: “I rise today in fierce opposition to H.R. 2, the so-called Housing Opportunity and Responsibility Act of 1997. Let me…”

“I rise today in fierce opposition to H.R. 2, the so-called Housing Opportunity and Responsibility Act of 1997. Let me just say that the only thing accurate about that title is the date. Although reform is necessary to meet today's public housing needs, H.R. 2 is not the answer. Sixty years ago the Housing Act of 1937 began our commitment to provide safe, clean, affordable housing for our Nation's poorest families. This bill abolishes that law and abandons that commitment. H.R. 2's provisions read like a litany of injustice. One of its harshest proposals chips away at the cornerstone of public housing, targeting on their income, targeting on this bill. It will take years before public housing authorities will have to accept families earning less than $10,000 a year. These are the very families public housing was created to serve. Mr. Chairman, there are over 5 million families that do not have access to decent and affordable housing, yet H.R. 2 pours salt on the wounds of the poor by setting minimum rents between $25 and $50. That may not sound like much, but it will force many poor families to choose between food and shelter for their children. As if the targeting and minimum rent provisions were not heartless enough, H.R. 2 also imposes a time limit on how long tenants may remain in public housing. Once this limit is reached, families will be evicted even if they still are living in poverty.”