WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today joined Chicago Housing
Authority CEO Terry Peterson and Department of Housing Commissioner Jack
Markowski to denounce cuts in housing and economic development programs.
Schakowsky
said that the bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee is $2.5
billion below the President’s request and, as a result, the City of Chicago
would receive at least $22 million less for vital housing, homeless assistance,
and economic and community development programs. The President promised
to veto the bill in its current form.
“This
is déjà vu all over again. Last year, the Republicans
tried to slash funding for housing programs nationwide. It’s another year,
and the Republicans are at it again. Working closely with a coalition of
housing advocates, local officials, and community leaders, we turned back
the tide and won a victory for hard working families, seniors, and persons
with disabilities last year. I am confident that we can do it again,”
said Schakowsky, a member of the Banking Subcommittee on Housing and Community
Opportunity
“In
the past, housing has not been viewed as a real priority. However,
with his timely veto threat of this bill, the President has elevated our
nation’s housing needs to a new level. Our goal is to get enough
votes to sustain the President’s veto and to ensure that the next version
adequately funds housing and economic development priorities,” Schakowsky
added.
Under
the current bill, the city of Chicago would receive at least $22 million
below the President’s request. Specifically, Chicago would receive
$8.7 million less through the Community Development Block Grant.
This will impact the city’s efforts to promote economic development and
community renewal. The bill also fails to fund the President’s
request of nearly $6 million for rental assistance vouchers for Chicago.
Furthermore,
the city will see $3.6 million less for its gun buy back program, environmental
cleanup, and community outreach. In addition, efforts in the city
to assist the homeless and to provide housing for persons with AIDS would
be cut by $2 million and $600,000, respectively.
“More
than five million U.S. families are paying more than half of their income
for housing. And cities are stretching every dollar to expand economic
and community development initiatives and to meet the needs of their residents.
Unfortunately, this bill fails to recognize that need and falls well short
of meeting our housing and urban renewal priorities,” Schakowsky said.
The
bill is also $9 million below the President’s request for Housing Counseling
programs. This program provides critical financial and mortgage advice
to potential homebuyers, which is necessary to combat the growing problem
of predatory lending. Since 1993, annual foreclosures in Chicago
have increased from 131 to nearly 5,000 in 1999.
Schakowsky,
who is the author of the Anti-Predatory Lending Act, said, “With the lack
of federal funds for housing needs, it is no surprise that more and more
people are victimized by predatory lenders.” |