Last week, the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee each held hearings on legislation to reauthorize the HOPE VI program - a HUD program that helps fund community redevelopment efforts that seek to turn severely distressed public housing projects into mixed income communities.
House witness list and testimony
Senate witness list and testimony
Today, NPACH sent letters to both committees, thanking them for holding these hearings and laying out NPACH's view that any HOPE VI reauthorization legislation must provide for one for one replacement of affordable housing units.
Without this requirement in place, many recent HOPE VI redevelopments have produced significant homelessness among previously housed families who were removed from their existing units and given Section 8 vouchers instead of being allowed to return to newly redeveloped housing units. This is a cruel but all too frequent consequence of federal housing policy - families intended to benefit from a housing program have instead been left homeless.
Based on statements made at their hearing, the House is likely to draft HOPE VI reauthorization that includes one for one replacement. This effort should be supported. Several Senators have introduced S. 829 - HOPE VI reauthorization legislation. Unfortunately, this bill does not require one for one replacement. As the bill moves through the legislative process, NPACH will work with the bill's authors and other Senators to address this serious concern. We urge other advocates to contact their Senators and insist on one for one replacement in any HOPE VI reauthorization bill.