June, 03 2009, 10:50am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Renee Willis, Vice President for Field and Communications,media@nlihc.org,Ph.,202-662-1530 x. 247
NLIHC to Testify Before Congress on Section 8 Voucher Reform Draft Bill
WASHINGTON
National Low Income Housing Coalition
(NLIHC) Deputy Director Linda Couch
will testify Thursday, June 4, before the House Financial Services Subcommittee
on Housing and Community Opportunity on the proposed Section 8 Vouchers Reform
Act (SEVRA).
Advocates
see enactment of the bill, still in draft form, as critical to stabilizing and
updating the voucher program. NLIHC strongly supports many of the bill's
provisions, including one that would improve the formula HUD uses to distribute
voucher renewal funding to the public housing authorities that administer the
program, and one that would simplify the rent-setting process and ensure that
families are encouraged to earn additional income. The bill would also improve
the home inspections process, voucher portability, the screening of voucher
applicants, and fair market rents.
The bill
also would authorize 150,000 additional vouchers for the coming year, to begin to address the years-long
waiting lists for vouchers found in most parts of the country. NLIHC, along
with other national housing groups, has called for the authorization of 2
million additional vouchers over the next 10 years.
NLIHC
commends the efforts of the Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA), lead
sponsor of the draft bill, and the other members of the subcommittee, for their
efforts to strengthen the program. "The draft bill Section 8 bill under
discussion today is testament to the Subcommittee's commitment to the
nation's housing programs," Ms. Couch will testify.
This new
draft bill is very similar to the version of SEVRA that passed the House in
July 2007, H.R. 1851, during the last session of Congress. The Senate version
of the legislation, S. 2684, did not make its way out of the Senate Committee
on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and the bill stalled.
In 2005,
NLIHC hosted a summit of advocates, residents, public housing authorities,
policymakers and others with a stake in the voucher program to develop a
description of needed reforms, many of which are included in the draft bill.
Hearing Information
WHAT: House Financial Services Subcommittee on
Housing and Community Opportunity hearing, "The Section 8 Voucher Reform
Act"
WHEN: Thursday, June 4 at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Room 2128, Rayburn House
Office Building
WHO: Linda Couch,
Deputy Director, National Low Income Housing Coalition
Additional witnesses have not yet been announced, but will be posted https://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hrhc060409.shtml
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to ending America's affordable housing crisis. Established in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare, NLIHC educates, organizes and advocates to ensure decent, affordable housing within healthy neighborhoods for everyone. NLIHC provides up-to-date information, formulates policy and educates the public on housing needs and the strategies for solutions.
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