Senate Confirmation Hearing for Dr. Ben Carson
Yesterday, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee held a nomination hearing for HUD Secretary-Designate, Dr. Ben Carson. Overall, the hearing was not controversial and Carson’s leadership ability was never really questioned. Instead, the hearing largely focused on Carson’s past comments about poverty, housing assistance, fair housing law, veteran homelessness, and the LGBT community. Dr. Carson was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who stated “ As secretary of HUD, Dr. Carson will encounter a department that is broken in many regards….I have seen with my own eyes the major challenges HUD faces and of its consequences on real people. Specifically I’ve seen how lapses, incompetence and a lack of accountability in the HUD inspection process has endangered the lives of men, women, and children – and not just in Florida, but all across this country. HUD needs a leader who knows how to overcome tough obstacles, someone who when told, you’ll never be able to do that, finds the way to do that and does it well. Well that is what Ben Carson has done his entire life.” In his opening statement, Dr. Carson focused on his life’s improbable journey, including overcoming poverty during his childhood in Detroit to become a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, and his community involvement with development programs in East Baltimore and the Carson Scholars Fund. Regarding HUD, Dr. Carson stated, “When we talk about HUD traditionally, most people think putting roofs over the heads of poor people, but it has the ability to be so much more, particularly if we take a holistic approach and we think about how do we develop our fellow human beings. I see each individual as human capital that can be developed to become part of the engine that drives our nation or if not develop, becomes part of the load. And we are the ones who are tasked with helping to make the difference. So I do believe that government is extraordinarily important. And one of the things that I want to do, instead of just listening to the sage people of Washington, D.C. – and there are some wise people here – I want to go on a listening tour. I want to hear from the people with boots on the ground, who are actually administering programs, who are benefiting from the programs. I want to see what actually works and what does not work. I want to analyze why it works and why it doesn’t work.” Dr. Carson also stated he looked forward to enhancing HUD programs around the intersection of health and education. He also spoke favorably about working to end veteran’s homelessness. Here are other notable remarks from Dr. Carson regarding issues of interest to NAHMA members. Remarks on public (rental) assistance…. “I believe that we in America are compassionate. We have a history of being compassionate to people. And we obviously don’t have to do something, but that wouldn’t be American. That wouldn’t be who we are. Of course, I feel very strongly that we should do everything we can, not only because we’re compassionate, but also because we’re smart, because we recognize that for every one of our people that we do not develop is someone whose talent is not contributing to the moving forward of this nation. And if we’re going to be successful in the future, as I mentioned before, we have to develop all of our talent. So for people to imply that I don’t understand that or don’t want to do anything for poor people, I believe that they perhaps are only looking at words that have been skewed and not at actions…. I think the rental assistance program is essential and what I have said, if you have been reading my writings – is that when it comes to entitlement programs, it is cruel and unusual punishment to withdraw those programs before you provide an alternative.” Remarks on affordable housing needs in this country… “You have to attack the problem that you described from both ends. There are a large number of people spending 30 to 50 percent of their income to housing. That’s an unacceptable number. So what we have to do is either raise their income or decrease the cost of the housing. I think both of those areas are areas that we need to work upon.” Remarks on HUD’s role implementing the Fair Housing Act… “And what I believed to be the case is we have people sitting around desk in Washington D.C. deciding on how things should be done, you know, telling mayors and commissioners and people, you need the bill, this place right here, you need to put these kinds of people at. What I would encourage, I don’t have any problem whatsoever with affirmative action or at least, you know, integration. I have no problem with that at all, but I do have a problem with people on high, dictating it when they don’t know anything about what’s going on in the area.” “We have local HUD officials and we have people who can assess what the problems are in their area and working with local officials, can come up with much better solutions than one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter program from people in Washington, D.C.” “If confirmed in this position, of course, I would enforce all the laws of the land. And I believe that all Americans, regardless of the new things that you mentioned, should be protected by the law. What I have mentioned in the past is the fact that no one gets extra rights. Extra rights means, you get to redefine everything for everybody else.”HUD Secretary Julián Castro bids farewell
This week, Secretary Castro gave his farewell address after leading HUD for two years. In his remarks, Castro discussed the human side of housing issues and highlighted a number of HUD programs. He concluded with three recommendations for the new administration: first, to continue breaking down silos in government; second, to be “aspirational” and to keeping dreaming; and third, to remember that working in housing has human consequences.Affordable Housing bills introduced early in new Congress
A number of affordable housing bills were introduced during the first two weeks of the 115th Congress:- On January 9, 2017 Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) re-introduced a bill “to provide standards for physical condition and management of housing receiving assistance payments under Section 8” (S. 73). The legislation is likely to mirror legislation from the previous Congress known as the “Housing Accountability Act,” which aimed to establish direct communication between HUD and residents of subsidized housing by requiring a semi-annual tenant survey on living conditions and management performance. Penalties assessed on the property owners for repeatedly ‘failing’ the survey would go toward property remediation or tenant relocation efforts. Once the bill text becomes available, NAHMA will work with Federal Affairs Committee to formulate a policy position for this bill.
- January 3, 2017 Representative Nydia Velasquez (D-NY) re-introduced the “Landlord Accountability Act of 2017” (H.R. 202). Referred to the House Committees on Financial Services; Ways and Means; and Judiciary, the bill aims to reduce income-discrimination in rental housing by amending the Fair Housing Act, by increasing the staffing level for the MF Housing Complaint Line, and by requiring tenant rights to be displayed on every floor of a property. Under the bill, eligible landlords would also qualify for a low-income housing maintenance credit. NAHMA will monitor, however it did not move during last Congress.
- On January 3, 2017 Representative Al Green (D-TX) re-introduced the “Housing Fairness Act of 2017” (H.R. 149). HUD would be directed to conduct a nationwide test to measure the prevalence of discriminatory practices across the housing and mortgage lending markets, and funds for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program would be increased. During the 114th Congress, similar legislation gained 22 cosponsors but did not progress through the House Committee on Financial Services. NAHMA will continue to monitor action on this bill.
- On January 12, 2017 Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced a bill to “amend the Fair Housing Act to better protect persons with disabilities and communities” (H.R. 472). The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and already has six bipartisan cosponsors. More information is forthcoming. NAHMA will monitor action on this bill.