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7.16.2007

More News - HOPE VI Reauthorization

House and Senate Committees Pushing Forward on HOPE VI
Reauthorization

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Orlando Cabrera testified in opposition to the reauthorization at both hearings.
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The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and the House Financial Services Committee held hearings on the HOPE VI program, which is set to expire on September 30, 2007. The HOPE VI program provides competitive grants to public housing authorities for the removal, rehabilitation, and construction of public housing units.

The hearings exposed key differences between the House and Senate approaches to reauthorization. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) is the sponsor of the Senate reauthorization bill (S. 829), which has bipartisan support from Senator Mel Martinez (RFL). While generally retaining the current HOPE VI requirements, the Senate bill would tie HOPE VI grants to new education goals. In the House, Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) expressed concern that the HOPE VI program is used to tear down more public housing than is rebuilt but expressed confidence that a one-for-one replacement requirement could be achieved. Chairman Frank hopes for a committee vote on a HOPE VI reauthorization bill sometime in July.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Public andIndian Housing Orlando Cabrera testified in opposition to the reauthorization at both hearings.

Housing Authorities Set to Receive an Increase in Section 8 Renewal

Funding

On June 18, HUD notified public housing agencies of their 2007 Housing Choice Voucher renewal funding provided under the Fiscal Year 2007 Continuing Resolution. Public housing agencies will receive a five percent increase, on average, over their program costs in 2006, adjusted for inflation. The increase can be used to serve additional families or to increase services to current families. More funding is available from HUD if a public housing agency can
certify that the FY 2007 funding is insufficient to fund their current vouchers. Information on how to apply for additional funds, if necessary, can be found at: http://www.hud.gov/utilities/intercept.cfm?/offices/pih/publications/notices/07/pih
2007-14.pdf.

Source: National League of Cities

HOPE VI Reauthorization


Hearings Examine HOPE VI Reauthorization


SENATE BILL LINKS HOUSING, EDUCATION

Committees in the House and Senate recently held hearings on reauthorization of the HOPE VI program. HOPE VI was created in the early 1990s to help communities replace deteriorated public housing and foster mixed-income neighborhoods. The program's current authorization is set to expire this year.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) introduced Senate legislation, S. 829, to reauthorize the program through 2013. The legislation would create a new requirement that HOPE VI projects partner with local schools to develop a comprehensive educational reform and achievement strategy. The bill, which has bipartisan support, also modifies some selection criteria.

Among those testifying were affordable housing developers Richard Barron and Jonathan Rose. Both lauded the program and pointed to the additional, private sector investment generated by HOPE VI. Researchers from the Urban Institute presented findings on improved safety and quality of life in HOPE VI neighborhoods. Some witnesses expressed concerns about the displacement of residents.

Leaders of the House Financial Services Committee plan to move House legislation later this summer. In the initial hearing on the issue, several members of the House Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), supported the program but said any reauthorization must include guarantees of "one-to-one" replacement for public housing.


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