Gerald Kleczka: “I would like to express my serious reservations about the elimination of the service coordinators authorization under…”

“I would like to express my serious reservations about the elimination of the service coordinators authorization under H.R. 2406, the U.S. Housing Act. The service coordinators program was established in 1992 in response to a desperate need in our Nation's public housing. At that time, elderly and disabled residents were being placed into public housing together. The differences between the needs and lifestyles of these two populations were leading to fear and distrust. In a few cases, violence even broke out. To help ease these tensions and ensure that all residents were receiving the medical, psychological, social and other services they needed, we developed the service coordinators program. When the grant was first announced, competition for these funds was intense. Cities all across the Nation recognized that this program would allow them to address resident issues in a coordinated, comprehensive manner. This program has accomplished a tremendous amount at a very low cost. In my hometown of Milwaukee, there has been a sea change in the atmosphere at public housing complexes where service coordinators were sent.”