Housing Vouchers in Jeopardy
George Bush has proposed to convert the Section 8
housing voucher program into a “block grant” to the states, which
could seriously jeopardize the availability of housing vouchers for current
participants in the voucher program.
This proposal has been introduced in
Congress as Senate Bill S. 947 and House Bill H.R. 1841. In addition, Bush has
asked for less funding from Congress than is needed to support all vouchers
likely to be in use next
year.
Currently, vouchers go directly
to local agencies to distribute, and Congress renews funding for all vouchers in
use each year. Under the Bush proposal, states would get one lump sum, which
would likely dwindle in purchasing power over time. Also, many of the important
protections currently in place for voucher holders would be
lost.
Here are some examples of what
could happen to current participants in the voucher program if housing vouchers
are block-granted:
•
Tenants’ share of the rent could go
up.
• People may be less secure
in their housing, since time limits may be placed on vouchers and rules against
unfair evictions weakened.
•
Special “enhanced” vouchers for people in buildings that used to
have “project-based” assistance may no longer
exist.
• People could have fewer
choices about where to live and may be forced to accept lower quality
housing.
• Families that lose welfare
may also lose their housing
vouchers.
• Adults who are not
working “enough” hours may lose their housing vouchers, even if they
are not on welfare.
Concerned? Take
action! Call your Senators and your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 and tell
them to say “NO” to the housing voucher block grant bills S. 947 and
H.R. 1841 and “YES” to adequate voucher funding. For more
information, call: Coalition for Economic Survival, 323-656-4410.
Posted: Mon - September 1, 2003 at 04:12 PM