May, 19 2010, 08:55am EDT
National Low Income Housing Coalition Commends HUD for Recent TRA Proposal
WASHINGTON
The
National Low Income Housing Coalition(NLIHC) commends the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its bold and forward-thinking
Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) proposal.
HUD
released details of its proposed TRA legislative proposal on May 12. TRA would
allow public housing agencies, and some HUD-subsidized housing owners, to
voluntarily convert their units into a new form of HUD rental assistance. This new
rental assistance would allow housing agencies to seek private capital to
rehabilitate units, give residents increased options on where to live, and
represent the first phase of bringing all of HUD's housing programs under
one programmatic operation.
"The
TRA proposal demonstrates HUD's dedication to preserving our
nation's underfunded public housing while protecting tenant rights and
establishing mechanisms to provide extremely low income people with more
housing options," said NLIHC President Sheila Crowley. "NLIHC is
optimistic that HUD's vision to preserve homes and protect tenants can be
realized in a way that gives residents a voice in decision-making, provides
public housing agencies with the resources needed to preserve the housing
stock, gives tenants more housing choices, and serves as the platform under
which most HUD housing programs can be administered. We are committed to
working with HUD and Congress to continue to improve the TRA proposal. The
proposal is not perfect, but it represents a framework to discuss the critical
issue of preserving public housing in a way that protects tenants, gives
tenants a voice in decision-making, safeguards public investments, and
maintains public housing for future generations."
HUD's
goals for TRA are to streamline rental assistance programs, simplify program
administration, leverage private capital, bring greater market discipline to
HUD's housing stock, enhance tenant choice, and expand tenant access to a
broader range of neighborhoods. HUD proposed TRA as part of its FY11 budget
request.
The
National Low Income Housing Coalition, established
in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare, is dedicated solely to achieving socially just
public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States
have affordable and decent homes. The National Low Income Housing
Coalition does not represent any sector of the housing industry. Rather, NLIHC
works only on behalf of and with low income people who need safe, decent, and
affordable housing, especially those with the most serious housing problems.
NLIHC is entirely funded with private donations.
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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