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Federal Budget Proposes to Cut Vital LA County Housing and Community Development Programs
News Jun 03, 2017
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CDBG helps fund programs for seniors at the YWCA Greater Los Angeles Union Pacific Empowerment Center, helping to improve their lives every day.
-Courtesy photo
The Community Development Commission (CDC) and Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) oppose the Administration’s proposed cuts to essential affordable housing and community development programs in the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2018 budget.
“Los Angeles County faces an affordable housing crisis. Slashing or eliminating funding to vital Federal programs will not solve the problem,” CDC Executive Director Sean Rogan stated. “As Congress begins to draft their version of the budget, they need to understand how important this funding is to the daily lives of low-income and homeless families, seniors, and veterans.”
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is one program that the Administration proposes to eliminate. However, for over 40 years, CDBG has funded critical community development activities, including infrastructure improvements such as roads, water, and sewer systems; expanding homeownership opportunities; employment training; business support and job creation; transportation services; services at libraries, community centers, adult day care, and after school care facilities; homeless housing assistance; and crime awareness programs.
In Los Angeles County, about $900,000 in CDBG funds is invested in youth recreational and afterschool programs that provide vocational and financial literacy training to keep 3,000 kids off the streets and to improve their academics, health, and general well-being.
The proposed FFY 2018 budget also reduces funding for Tenant-Based and Project-Based Rental Assistance Programs. However, these programs have been essential in fighting homelessness in Los Angeles County. HACoLA administers approximately 23,800 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and operates 2,962 units of quality housing in its Public Housing Program, which has helped eligible low-income and homeless families find a safe and affordable place to live. These programs mean the difference between continuing a chaotic life of homelessness and the stability of having a home and beginning the path out of poverty.
The CDC and HACoLA have joined efforts with the National Low-Income Housing Coalition and Coalition on Human Needs to urge Congress to oppose any cuts to these essential Federal programs.
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