In Congress, Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Cal.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the
chairs of the House Housing Subcommittee and the full Financial Services
Committee, are moving forward with Section 8 housing reform after the July 4
recess. The White House and Congress can help the third of Americans who rent
by going back to the guidelines set by the Housing Act of 1974 - increasing the
availability of Section 8 housing vouchers, assuring that families pay no more
than 30% of their income on housing and using the rent limit as a model for
other low income housing. This would not be a bailout for renters, but a return
to the protection needed to enable people to pay their rent and remain in their
homes.
Congress must make sure that all citizens, including renters, who are
often the poorest Americans, have roofs over their head. That's not too much to
ask in America.
Koch is a
former mayor of New York City and member of Congress. Weiner was legislative
assistant to Koch, Chief of Staff of the House Aging Committee, and a White
House spokesman. (Zoe Pagonis and Bridget Mora assisted in this piece).
Link
to original: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/07/05/2009-07-05_renters_across_america_need_more_help_from_congress.html
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