Pryce Emphasizes Efficiency, Flexibility, and Continued Funding for Section 8 Washington, DC – The housing plight of low-income families and the skyrocketing costs of federal housing assistance were the focus of discussion today during a meeting of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity. The Subcommittee held hearings on H.R. 1999, the State and Local Housing Flexibility Act of 2005. The bill would make significant changes to the housing choice voucher program, a part of the Section 8 program, which is operated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington), a member of the Financial Services Committee, voiced her support for a balanced approach to reform of the program. “There is much to be gained from providing Public Housing Authorities the flexibility to help Section 8 recipients along the road to homeownership. At the same time, we have to be careful not to leave the extremely low-income, homeless, and other vulnerable populations behind,” said Pryce. “We need to strike a financial balance between adding flexibility for current recipients while keeping the door open for those who are not as fortunate.” The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program is the largest federal program designed to provide affordable housing to low-income families, serving over 2 million households. The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority is responsible for the administration of approximately 9,400 Section 8 vouchers throughout Columbus and Franklin County. Section 8 vouchers are tenant-based as well as project-based subsidies that low-income families use to lower their rental costs. The program has grown to replace public housing as the primary tool for subsidizing the housing costs of low-income families. At the same time, the costs of funding the program have increased as rents have risen faster than recipient incomes, creating a financial crunch for HUD. At a full Financial Services Committee hearing last week, Pryce made her point clear in submitted comments to Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, asking him to consider how the expanded Section 8 requirements would affect homeless families and individuals. Congresswoman Pryce has introduced H.R. 1471, the Services for Ending Long-term Homelessness Act (SELHA), which will authorize funding for services to keep chronically homeless individuals and families off the street and into permanent, supportive housing. She is concerned that H.R. 1999, as currently written, could broaden the target assisted population for Section 8 and possibly have a negative impact on efforts to fight chronic homelessness. Today’s hearing is part of an ongoing series of hearings
on H.R. 1999 in the House Financial Services
Committee. |
|
|
|---|