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Greetings,
We’ve posted revised
state-by-state estimates of the impact of the 5.2 percent reduction in housing and community development program funding that will take effect beginning March 1 if Congress does not act to postpone it. It now seems increasingly likely that these
across-the-board cuts, known as “sequestration,” will take effect, though there is still hope that Congress will modify or cancel sequestration as part of providing funding for discretionary programs for the remainder of FY13. (Current funding expires March
27th.) Doug Rice discusses these issues in his recent
blog. For the housing voucher and public housing programs, we understand that the March funding levels may not be affected by the sequester, as HUD allocates funds to PHAs before the beginning of the month.
Barbara Sard’s new
post on Shelterforce’s Rooflines blog highlights the valuable new toolkit, “Expanding
Choice: Practical Strategies for Building a Successful Housing Mobility Program,” published by the Poverty & Race Research Action Council and the Urban Institute, which provides a step-by-step outline and extensive resources for public housing agencies,
state and local governments, and non-profits interested in helping Housing Choice Voucher families move to and stay in higher-opportunity neighborhoods. (Barbara contributed a few sections to the toolkit.) The guide shows how to:
• Set goals in light of local markets and priorities;
• Identify opportunity-rich neighborhoods;
• Reach out to landlords effectively;
• Recruit and assist target families;
• Use existing discretion under HUD policies — or get waivers of HUD rules — to expand families’ search time, set adequate subsidy levels, and provide
security deposits; and
• Fund a local or regional program, even in these uncertain times.
Last week, National Public Radio also aired a
story on the impact of moving to a neighborhood with better schools, featuring families in the Chicago Housing Authority’s mobility program. Worth taking a few minutes to read or listen to it if you need a reminder of why you work to make families’
lives better through affordable housing!
Barbara Sard
Vice President for Housing Policy
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
202-408-1080
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Contact
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
820 First Street, NE, Suite 510
Washington,DC 20002
Phone: 202-408-1080
Resources
cbpp.org
offthechartsblog.org
Social Media
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