HUD No. 00-246 | |
Further Information: | For Release |
In the Washington, DC area: 202/708-0685 | Wednesday |
Or contact your local HUD office | September 20, 2000 |
CUOMO, U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS DENOUNCE CONGRESSIONAL CUTS TO HUD BUDGET
WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Andrew Cuomo and members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM)
today criticized House and Senate Appropriations Committees for "dramatically
underfunding" HUDs proposed fiscal year 2001 budget."If either the Senate or House budget
becomes reality, it means that Congress has squandered this historic opportunity
to help many Americans who need assistance to obtain affordable, decent,
and safe housing," Cuomo said during a joint press conference with
the USCM.Joining Cuomo in person were the following
two mayors: USCM President H. Brent Coles, Boise, ID; and Anthony Masiello,
Buffalo, NY; and Tom Cochran, executive director, USCM. Participating by
telephone were mayors Scott King, Gary, IN; Lee Brown, Houston; Donald Plusquellic,
Akron; Jim Dailey, Little Rock; Preston Daniels, Des Moines; Robert Bowser,
East Orange, NJ; Sarah Bost, Irvington, NJ; Julie Holbrook, Covington, WA;
Paul Schell, Seattle; Kay Barnes, Kansas City, MO; John Street, Philadelphia;
James Sheets, Quincy, MA; and Dennis Archer, Detroit. Representing their
mayors were: Vincent Sylvain, New Orleans; James Nicholson, Fayetteville,
AR; and Myrna Hipp, Denver.In February, President Clinton proposed increasing
HUDs budget by $6 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $32.1 billion
"the strongest HUD budget in more than 20 years, with increases in
every program area," Cuomo said at the time.Included among the program cuts made by Congress
were:
- $275 million from the fiscal year 2000
voucher account and failure to fund the $400 million increase needed to renew all
current vouchers;
- elimination of 120,000 new rental assistance
vouchers;
- $100 million from Community Development
Block Grants that invest in a broad range of community projects;
- $75 million from homeless assistance programs;
- $50 million from the HOME program to expand
homeownership;
- $50 million from programs to revitalize
public housing;
- $37 million from a new initiative called
American Private Investment Corporation, part of President Clinton and Speaker Hasterts agreed-upon plan designed to spark economic development;
- $35 million from Drug Elimination Grants
for public housing developments;
- $28 million to help more than 5,000
people with AIDS get housing; and
- $6 million from programs to fight housing
discrimination and ensure equal access to housing for all Americans.
According to Mayor Coles, "cities face many challenges, particularly
in the areas of affordable housing, and community and economic development.
We still have neighborhoods and families who have not participated in the
economic recovery. We owe children in these communities stable and healthy
neighborhoods. I call on Congress to restore the $2.5 billion to HUDs
budget so that we can continue to build stronger communities for the American
people."Mayor Masiello noted that Buffalo, New York
states second largest city, is "poised to take its place among
the significant city giants of the 21st century," in part because of
the common sense budgets of recent years. "Buffalo is making the most
of this unprecedented period of prosperity," the mayor said. "The
budget cuts that have been announced will impact each and every member of
our community and are tantamount to damaging neighborhoods throughout a
city long known as the "City of Good Neighbors."
Cuomo said that the House version of HUDs budget is $2.5 billion less
than the Presidents request and includes no new housing vouchers.
"We already have plenty of studies on
affordable housing in this country, and they all say the same thing: housing
needs are at an all-time high," Cuomo said. "We dont need
another study. What we need is new housing, but unfortunately, the House
budget doesnt provide any."The Senate version is not that much better,
Cuomo lamented, because the Senate bill cuts $1.8 billion from the request.
Unfortunately, the Senate bill did not include HUDs new housing production
program. However, the Senate has acknowledged the need for such a program
through its $1 billion proposal. Cuomo characterized the Senate version, however,
as "too little, too late." He added that it does not identify
the source of the funds for new housing production, and like the House bill,
contains no funds for new vouchers.