Housing subcommittee rejects HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s cruel budget cutting proposals

Housing subcommittee rejects HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s cruel budget cutting proposals

By Lynda Carson - May 23, 2018

Oakland — This week, the House Appropriations Transportation-HUD (THUD) Subcommittee rejected many of HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s cruel budget cutting proposals that would have harmed million’s of elderly, disabled, and low-income renters in HUD’’s subsidized housing programs. The budget cutting proposals still have to go before the full House and Senate, and signed into law by President Donald Trump, before they are enacted.

However, reportedly the subcommittee still has slashed a disastrous 6.8% from the budget of the Section 202 housing program for the elderly, and a massive 32.9% from the budget of the Section 811 housing program for the disabled. Additionally, they slashed 11.9% from the budget of the affordable housing Home Program. If enacted, the budget cuts will affect thousands of elderly, disabled and low-income renters in the Bay Area, and all across the nation.

Among the many affordable housing projects in Oakland that may be affected by the proposed budget cuts to the Home Investment Partnerships (Home) program if enacted, includes Effie’s House in Oakland, Bancroft Senior Homes, Bishop Nichols Senior Housing, California Hotel, Clinton Commons, Coolidge Ct, EC Reems Gardens, Eastmont Court, Fruitvale Transit Village, Harrison Hotel, International BLVD Family Housing, Lion Creek Crossings, Madison Lofts, Mandela Gateway Rental Housing, Merritt Crossings, Northgate Apartments, and other affordable housing projects.

Redwood Gardens Senior Housing in Berkeley is one of the many local affordable housing projects that may face budget cuts if the proposed budget cuts to the Section 202 program are enacted, including Bancroft Senior Homes, and Maggie Kuhn Apartments.

Reportedly, there are only 490 Section 202 properties in California and 6,166 in the country.

The National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has published some of the latest information regarding the proposed budget cuts to HUD. Additionally, according to the NLIHC, “Despite new resources and overall increased funding available to HUD, the amounts provided in the House bill are likely not enough to renew all existing contracts provided through Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance.”

This means that even though many of HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s cruel budget cutting proposals have been rejected, many elderly, disabled and low-income renters still face drastic budget cuts to the subsidized housing programs in Oakland, the Bay Area, and across the country.

Tenants are urged to tell Congress to reject any budget cuts to HUD’s subsidized affordable housing programs.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com


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