New rules will 'gut' housing program

In session
July 2004

New rules will 'gut' housing program
Urge Senate to eliminate funds for new nukes

New rules will 'gut' housing program
Catholic Charities agencies from Fall River, Massachusetts, to San Diego, California are mobilizing to defeat Bush administration proposals that, according to Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), would "gut" funding for a successful housing program that serves more than two million low-income families, seniors, and disabled people each year.

Across the county, local CCUSA agencies are meeting with members of Congress, conducting letter writing campaigns to public officials, convening coalitions, holding press conferences, and placing opinion pieces in local newspapers in an effort to protect hundreds of thousands of low-income households who could lose their homes if Congress adopts proposed changes to the federal Housing Choice (Section 8) Voucher Program.

For 30 years, the Section 8 voucher program has enabled low-income families to afford modest apartments on the private market. For seniors and disabled persons on very low fixed incomes, Section 8 allows them to live with dignity in decent housing. Because of the Section 8 program, local property owners can continue to maintain their buildings, and neighborhoods can maintain stability, according to CCUSA.

"Despite the fact that Section 8 meets a critical, growing need for affordable housing, especially among extremely low-income families, recent federal policy changes and proposals are threatening to undermine the program," said Douglas Rice, director of housing and community development for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA). Preserving the Section 8 program is CCUSA's top legislative priority for this session of Congress.

"Local Catholic Charities agencies confront the consequences of high housing costs every day, as thousands of families and individuals turn to them for food, shelter, or other forms of emergency assistance because they are paying more than half of their income just to keep a roof over their head. Unfortunately, many more people may soon be forced to seek the assistance of Catholic Charities and other agencies if the Administration's misguided changes are adopted," said Rice.

"Not so long ago, the Bush administration called on local officials, charities, and faith-based organizations to band together to end homelessness in their communities. This is a bold and noble goal—yet it is a goal that can be met only by strengthening, not weakening, successful affordable housing programs like Section 8."

In February, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed major changes to Section 8, including a $1 billion cut in funding for 2005 and rule changes that would undermine the program. The HUD proposal also would restructure the program as a block grant, which would mean that assistance would no longer keep pace with rising housing costs. If HUD's proposals are accepted by Congress, as many as 250,000 families could lose their voucher assistance in the first year alone.

"To make matters worse, this spring HUD announced that Section 8 funding would be distributed to housing authorities according to a new, more restrictive formula," said Rice. "As a result, voucher assistance has already been reduced. Fortunately, Congress has the power to prevent and reverse these changes in the coming months as it develops the fiscal 2005 budget."

Nationwide Catholic Charities are working hard to show Congress and the public just how damaging these changes are and will be to their communities and neighbors.

Last week, Catholic Charities of San Diego, California, held a press conference with a coalition of seven other major housing and nutrition agencies to draw attention to the hardship that the community's seniors will continue to face if funding for Section 8 and senior nutrition programs is not increased. The Seniors in Crisis Coalition is also coordinating a letter writing campaign at the various agencies' nutrition sites, asking seniors to write letters to their elected officials.

At a meeting with members of Congress and staff later this month, Catholic Charities of Fall River, Massachusetts, and a coalition it formed with six other organizations aims to put a face on the Section 8 issue. A panel of Section 8 recipients—two working families, two seniors, two people with disabilities, and a family on a waiting list to get a voucher—will explain just how cuts to the Section 8 program will hurt them.

Representatives from the Fall River and New Bedford Housing Authorities will speak about how the loss of Section 8 vouchers will affect those two cities; and a landlord, whose properties are 30 percent Section 8, will explain how program changes will adversely affect his business.

Throughout the year, Catholic Charities of Trenton, New Jersey, has been engaged in a comprehensive advocacy strategy around housing issues in the community, including Section 8. This month the agency will be conducting a letter writing campaign to House members in the diocese; visiting members of Congress in Washington, D.C.; meeting with the editorial boards of two local newspapers; and submitting op-eds to newspapers.

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, also has formed a coalition of community leaders, social service organizations, housing providers, and Section 8 tenants to pursue a two-pronged community response of advocacy and awareness. The "Save Section 8" coalition plans to kick off its activities at a public rally with the mayors of Kansas City and St. Joseph later this month.

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