Political Quotes

“Federal low-income housing assistance programs were originally designed to be transitional, helping people find temporary, decent shelter. They were never intended to be permanent. The reality today, though, is that many families know no other experience than a public housing environment. Today, in too many cases this housing assistance is creating reverse incentives for its beneficiaries to improve their situation and become self-sufficient. According to HUD, 40 percent of the residents of public housing leave within 3 years, 31 percent leave within 10 years, and about one-third live in public housing for more than 10 years. This amendment will not affect the majority of residents, and it completely exempts the elderly and the handicapped. But because of the Federal budget constraints that have been imposed, we cannot increase the number of federally assisted low-income housing units. It is not going to happen. We need to determine how, though, we can justify extending indefinitely public housing assistance to residents who may be capable of improving their economic well-being while we deny others who are equally deserving. The fact is that there are three times as many people on waiting lists equally deserving as there are people in public-assisted housing units. Within my congressional district there is a 2-year waiting list and it has been closed, leaving thousands of families, equally deserving, unable to even apply. This is not fair.”