Rick Lazio: “what we are saying is that all people who receive the benefit of public housing who are able-bodied and who are not…”

“what we are saying is that all people who receive the benefit of public housing who are able-bodied and who are not exempted because of age, who are not exempted because of disability, who are not exempted because of education, vocational training, or work will be expected to contribute 2 hours to their own backyard. Again, that may include helping to sweep the hallway right in front of their apartment, it may include doing something in their apartment, it may include removing graffiti, or ensuring that somebody gets day care in that building. It may include working downtown or it may include, for some people, doing a Neighborhood Watch Program. There is extraordinary flexibility in this program to meet the concerns of people who actually do have some other obligations. But the idea that only people in public housing have extra obligations diverts from reality. In fact, people who do not live in public housing, who have enormous obligations, who have families, who have needs, who may have parents who need to receive care, who do not receive the benefit of public housing, who do not receive the benefit of having their utilities paid for, are also asked to do something. They are asked to go to work to contribute to their rent. If they do not do that, yes, they are thrown out. That is what happens to people outside of public housing.”