Secretary Carson pressed on agency reform, disaster assistance during congressional oversight hearing
This week, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing titled, “The Future of Housing in America: Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.” With HUD Secretary Carson as its sole witness, the hearing examined the agency’s vision for the future of federal housing policy. In particular, the hearing intended to review both HUD’s successes and challenges since its creation in 1965 and the effectiveness of its programs to further its mission.
In his opening statement, Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) said, “When it was created 52 years ago, HUD was intended to be the main weapon in the war on poverty. Now 52 years later and $1.6 trillion later, the poverty rate remains basically unchanged…I don’t want to diminish the valuable work HUD does. It is an invaluable part of the nation’s social safety net – especially tenant-based Section 8 housing for the elderly and disabled. But I remind all that for the able bodied there is no better affordable housing program than a growing economy that creates better jobs, bigger paychecks and brighter tomorrows.”
The Chairman’s Democratic counterpart, Ranking Member Maxine Water of California, responded by saying, “America is currently in the midst of the worst rental housing crisis that we’ve ever experienced, and it is hitting our lowest income families the hardest…Housing is the foundation on which our entire society is built. It is the platform for economic mobility and well-being. It is a crucial part of our national economy. It is a necessary human right. We need strong leadership and a bold vision for HUD in order to expand access to affordable housing in this country.”
Dr. Carson used the hearing to debut his team’s plan for institutional reform at HUD, called the “Forward Initiative.” The elements of the plans fall under what the Secretary calls the “three Rs”: reimagining how HUD works; restoring the American Dream; and rethinking American communities. According to Dr. Carson’s testimony, the first “R” serves as a companion to provisions of the Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), passed by Congress last year and awaiting agency implementation.
“While there remains robust debate about how to solve the complex problems that HUD tackles every day, we should all be able to agree that roofs over peoples’ heads, strong families, and healthy communities help foster and develop the God-given potential of those Americans that HUD assists. To do so, we need an innovative approach that responds to today, not yesterday,” testified Secretary Carson in his opening statement. He also highlighted access to homeownership, ending veteran’s homelessness, and tackling issues of lead exposure in federally-subsidized housing as priorities under his leadership.
Throughout the hearing, Dr. Carson was consistently pressed on the agency’s response to areas devastated by recent hurricanes. Responding to questions regarding recovery in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, where the situation has been described as dire and the response has been criticized as slow, Secretary Carson said: “I have no intention of abandoning Puerto Rico.” HUD serves as the Coordinating Department for the Housing Recovery Support Function, playing a key role in both short- and long-term recovering efforts.
To view the hearing online, please click
here.
House passes assistance package for hurricane and wildfire disaster areas
The House this week approved additional disaster relief for Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, mainland southern states, and California. The bill, which passed by a wide margin, provides $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund, $16 billion toward debt incurred by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), $1.27 billion for disaster flood assistance in Puerto Rico, and $576.5 million for wildfire recovery efforts in California.
The move comes as over 80% of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – both US territories that were devastated by Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 – remain without power; many of the island residents, who are US citizens by congressional statute, lack access to potable water and stable housing.
The legislation, which awaits Senate approval, would accompany $42 billion in relief funding approved by Congress in September, with additional billions in assistance expected to be approved by Congress in the coming months.
Bills introduced to improve homeless education access and to expand protections for trafficked victims
Among a number of bills recently introduced to Congress is the “Affordable Housing for Educational Achievement Demonstration (AHEAD) Act,” sponsored by Washington Senator Patty Murray (D). The bill encourages housing authorities, school districts, and community partners to work together in unprecedented ways to coordinate and improve educational and housing outcomes for homeless children. The AHEAD Act (
S. 1949) would help keep students permanently housed, which Senator Murray’s
press release says could improve attendance in school and reduce learning loss. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
A separate bill, introduced by Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), would expand protections for victims of sex trafficking: The “Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act” (
H.R. 3863) would amend the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) to include sex trafficking victims in the transitional housing assistance grant program. The bill has gained three bipartisan cosponsors and has been referred to the House Committees on the Judiciary and on Financial Services.
NAHMA will continue to monitor both pieces of legislation.
