WASHINGTON, DC – After successfully opposing the Trump Administration’s draconian cuts to the Public Housing Capital Fund and instead delivering a $6.3 million increase for Rhode Island’s allocation for the current fiscal year, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is now leading efforts to prevent Congressional Republicans from clawing back money that should be used to modernize, rehab, and preserve public housing, while also opposing the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate the program entirely.

This week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that twenty-four Rhode Island cities and towns will receive a total of $19,934,826 in federal funding to develop, finance, and modernize public housing.  The grants are being awarded to local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) through HUD’s Public Housing Capital Fund Program.  These federal funds may be used to fix roofs, replace windows, remediate lead and other hazards, and make necessary updates to aging buildings, many of which were built decades ago.

However, many Congressional Republicans are backing a rescission bill that would claw back nearly $40 million from the public housing capital fund, which helps more than 2 million vulnerable Americans nationwide, including seniors and persons with disabilities live in decent, safe housing.  And President Trump’s latest budget calls for eliminating the program entirely.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), Senator Reed helped include $2.75 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund in the 2018 Omnibus Appropriations law, an increase of $809 million from Fiscal Year 2017, as part of a combined $7.3 billion in resources to support the operation and capital management of the nation’s public housing infrastructure.  This higher funding level ensured Rhode Island PHAs a $6.3 million increase, allowing them to take the necessary steps to maintain and improve safe and secure tenant living conditions.

“We need to update, renovate, and build more quality housing that working families can afford.  Instead, the Trump Administration and House Republican leaders are trying to undercut affordable housing and put off needed investments in our nation’s public housing stock,” said Senator Reed.  “This funding is a smart investment in helping local housing agencies build stronger communities and make needed improvements.  I will strongly oppose efforts to rescind or eliminate this funding.” 

In addition to the rescission package, President Trump’s most recent budget proposal seeks to eliminate the program entirely, limiting PHAs’ ability to preserve this critical affordable housing resource and leading to the potential displacement of millions of vulnerable Americans.  Further, the overall Trump budget proposal for HUD would result in an $11.5 billion cut from 2019, a 22-percent reduction from fiscal year 2018, and HUD Secretary Ben Carson has outlined a plan to raise rents on thousands of low-income families.

“Affordable housing is a necessity for growing our economy.  I will continue working on a bipartisan basis to make smart federal investments that create more affordable housing opportunities, spur job creation, and stabilize communities,” said Reed.

Local housing agencies can use Public Housing Capital Fund resources to make a broad array of capital improvements, from addressing deferred maintenance to the replacement of obsolete utility systems and dwelling equipment.  This funding is also used to improve the security and safety of public housing residents.

Public housing is essential, providing affordable housing to approximately 1.1 million low-income households throughout the country.  The Public Housing Capital Fund enables housing agencies to maintain, improve, and preserve this housing stock, to ensure units are not deemed unlivable and families are not displaced.

Public Housing Agencies in the following cities and towns will receive funding:

Bristol: $318,370

Burrillville: $162,711

Central Falls: $627,134

Coventry: $310,288

Cranston: $1,051,307

Cumberland: $245,649

East Greenwich: $61,188

East Providence: $806,130

Jamestown: $48,310

Johnston: $251,878

Lincoln: $476,436

Narragansett: $27,590

Newport: $2,227,353

North Providence: $203,896

Pawtucket: $2,087,199

Providence: $5,706,694

Smithfield: $99,862

South Kingstown: $190,819

Tiverton: $83,091

Warren: $241,074

Warwick: $877,043

Westerly: $222,374

West Warwick: $427,813

Woonsocket: $3,180,617

 

Total: $19,934,826