Randy Neugebauer: “I thank Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3422 would exempt public housing authorities with 250…”

“I thank Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3422 would exempt public housing authorities with 250 or fewer public housing units and section 8 vouchers combined from the requirement of submitting an annual plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the 108th Congress, the House passed a similar legislation sponsored by former Congressman Doug Bereuter. The Senate, however, failed to take up this legislation. I represent a rural West Texas district. Most of the public housing authorities in my district have fewer than 250 housing units and/or vouchers. Several have part-time directors or directors who split time between public housing authorities. The annual plan process, mandated by Congress in 1998, requires a significant amount of time and resources for these public housing authorities. This mandate is especially burdensome on our PHAs, our small ones, because they have few staff resources to devote to the annual plans. While HUD has taken regulatory steps to reduce the reporting burden for small PHAs, the plans still require much unnecessary paperwork and additional time. Reducing the unnecessary paperwork and reporting will help smaller PHAs better serve their communities and focus on their mission of providing affordable rural housing to rural residents in need. H.R. 3422 only addresses annual plans. Small PHAs will still complete their HUD 5-year plan.…”