Rental crunch(mean Bush admin not supporting our welfare neighbors)

Baltimore Sun ^ | May 11, 2005

[marylandrepub1]

WITH 14,000 FAMILIES on a waiting list for a federally funded rent-assistance program, it is unfortunate that the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) allowed portions of its allotted rental vouchers to go unused, triggering a permanent reduction in the total number of vouchers paid for by the federal government this year and in subsequent years. What's worse is that the cut in voucher funding comes at a time when federal support for affordable and public housing programs nationwide is being slashed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The city's working poor and low-income families can hardly afford to have such precious resources squandered while rents climb increasingly beyond their reach. Neither can a city with a growing homeless population and 16,000 people on the waiting list for public housing.

A 2004 audit report by HUD's inspector general contends that the city housing authority has not "effectively and efficiently managed" its voucher program to ensure full use of the available money from HUD. As a result, HABC's annual voucher funding will be less than needed.

[marylandrepub1]

See how having a government(Baltimore City) that is incapable of functioning can actually help us. Don't forget that the mean old Bush administration is responsible.

Check out how section 8 rental vouchers has helped out in Ellicott City Maryland(west of Baltimore)in the following link. This apartment complex below is hidden in one of the best suburbs in Maryland. Thanks to vouchers our children can see the results of the progressive-welfare culture first hand(maybe it's not so bad.)

GREAT STORY :::

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=573&NewsID=629965&CategoryID=742&on=1

[Red Badger]

WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE LIVING NOW? UNDER BRIDGES?.......

[sure_fine]

try that agin

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=573&NewsID=629965&CategoryID=742&on=1

[stopem]

This is all getting so obscene, between the real Americans on welfare that we all have to support and the illegals we all have to support whats left for us and our families??

[Wage Slave]

I just gotta ask it: did you choose your screen name because you shop at McKay's?

[VoteHarryBrowne2000]

It appears that Maryland has a lot of problems with subsidized housing. Drive on down to Annapolis and check out a few of the fine public housing units. Crime in the City is centered around these areas.

Rumor has it that the rent in these complexes tops out around $50 a month. This might be false information but it is probably not too much higher than that figure.

[marylandrepub1]

"The victim was a mother of four who worked as a crossing guard for Baltimore city schools. The state contends that Gray and Williams killed Hughes on March 4, 2004, after they asked her to come to Gray's Ellicott City apartment for a "sexual threesome," according to prosecutors. "
"During Williams' trial, prosecutors argued that the pair conspired to kill Hughes together, but Williams testified that Gray murdered Hughes while he smoked crack cocaine in the apartment's bathroom."

At the risk of sounding judgmental, do we really need the government promoting this out in the suburbs? The county pass a law in early 90s making it illegal to discriminate against those who have their rents paid by the feds/section 8. (Two bedroom apartments go for $1000 a month in this area.) None of my neighbors smoke crack, they have to work to pay the mortgage and property taxes.

[untrained skeptic]

So Baltimore's government is incompetent, the Bush administration changes the program to route money to where it's actually being used, but lets Baltimore keep unused funds so they can try a different approach that might work better.

They got $50,000,000 that they didn't have to give back, and the same number of vouchers they actually used last year. That's a $50,000,000 funding increase over what they spent last year.

Yet it's "the Bush administration, which has not been subtle about its disregard for housing the poor".

This "journalist" works very hard at blaming the Bush administration, and still fails miserably.

This person also ignores the fact that the federal government is making funds available and that the local and state governments aren't making use of those funds.

"City Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano rightly laments that the funding formula does not count voucher-holders actively looking for housing"

The number of vouchers used accounts for people who were actively looking for housing before the start of the time period that found housing during that time period. Counting both those who found housing during the time period as well as those still looking would artificially inflate the numbers.

The reporter is buying into pure B. S. excuses.

"or consider that voucher payments have not kept pace with the city's rental market"

Well, I guess the state and local governments need to step in and make up the difference, or subsidize housing development for this type of housing through tax breaks to developers and rental companies to lower the cost to those receiving the vouchers.

The federal government is making money available, and the local government isn't taking full advantage of it due to mismanagement, or an unwillingness to spend local tax dollars to contribute to the program.

Who's showing a disregard for the poor?

"It also ignores Baltimore's aging housing stock - much of it below federal housing standards - and a regionwide shortage of affordable housing that led to increased voucher requests."

Urban renewal programs and tax breaks to encourage development are the way to address this. The federal government propping up the low end housing market in Baltimore by increasing subsidies is not.

Baltimore simply isn't doing it's share to deal with the issue.

"Baltimore law does not require landlords with available apartments to accept rent vouchers"

You mean the government doesn't require someone to "rent" their personal property at low rates to people who are a high risk of damaging that property and don't have the finical ability to pay for damages? Oh, the horror of the government not basically confiscating private property.

"nor is the city permitted by HUD regulations to increase voucher payment for tenants who find pricier apartments."

Do HUD regulations prohibit the state or local government from supplementing the vouchers with their funds, or do they only limit how much can be given to an applicant from the federal funds in the form of a voucher? I'm guessing it's the latter.

Even if it's not, local governments can significantly lower the price the renters pay by giving tax breaks to those who rent the apartments.

"Still, HABC can do better and should, especially because it won't have to return $50 million in unused voucher program funds, as required under HUD regulations."

So the solution to a lack of commitment at a local level is to give them a $50,000,000 grant to figure out a more flexible program. That may work, but there needs to be some accountability. To often such grants end up in the hands of lobbyists disguised as consultants who will spend money on "research" and then present their predetermined plan which mainly benefits them.

"HABC's priority should be to ensure that the majority of the $50 million grant goes to providing housing to the waiting families."

It definitely should be. Anyone have much faith that is what will happen?

[sure_fine]

I just gotta ask it: did you choose your screen name because you shop at McKay's?



nope, on a match book I was looking at, pretty much the same thing though ;-)

[PeterPrinciple]

A 2004 audit report by HUD's inspector general contends that the city housing authority has not "effectively and efficiently managed" its voucher program to ensure full use of the available money from HUD. As a result, HABC's annual voucher funding will be less than needed.



The goal is to ensure full use of the funds whether needed or not.

[marylandrepub1]

Baltimore has a large supply of poor unskilled, uneducated labor and a democratic government (and a democratic MD assembly) that counts on them for power. Here's some more liberal whining:


More section 8 crying by Baltimore Sun:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1397831/posts

HUD cuts in Howard County(boo hoo hoo):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1383991/posts