CLPHA Press Room

Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room

CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jenny Werwa
Director of Communications
202-638-1300 X 120
jwerwa@clpha.org

*Please let us know if you are working on deadline.

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Thanks again for your interest in CLPHA!

Press Releases

Statements

3.9.17

Proposed $6 billion housing cut shreds safety net for low-income families and seniors

The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), representing more than 70 of the country’s largest and most innovative housing authorities, calls on the Administration and Congress to reject the draconian proposal to slash more than $6 billion in funding to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including $2 billion in cuts to public housing.

There are over 1.2 million households currently residing in public housing. Seniors and persons with disabilities constitute over half of all residents, and there are over 600,000 children residing in public housing. Public housing cuts will fall directly on the shoulders of residents currently residing in public housing and reduce opportunities for millions of families languishing on waiting lists across the country.

The public housing capital fund provides modernization and rehabilitation funding for the 1.2 million unit public housing portfolio. The reported cut to the capital fund of $1.3 billion represents close to a 70% reduction from last year’s funding level. These proposed cuts will dramatically accelerate the current estimated loss of 10,000 to 12,000 public housing units already lost annually due to chronic underfunding.

The public housing operating fund covers day-to-day operational and maintenance expenses not covered by resident rents. The reported cut to the operating fund of $600 million is a 13% percent reduction from last year, and approximately 72% of what is needed. This funding level will have a devastating impact on the ability to operate and maintain this housing and severely endanger the health, wellbeing, and safety of our most vulnerable children, families, and seniors reliant on housing assistance.

These cuts directly contradict the findings of the congressionally-mandated 2010 HUD study on the backlog of public housing capital repair needs estimated at $26 billion and annual accruing capital needs estimated at $3.4 billion. HUD’s budget does not come close to meeting the annual need and contributes to the growing backlog need.

The tenant based rental assistance program which provides housing vouchers to needy families will also experience a $300 million reduction according to the reports on the budget. This cut coupled with rising rents and inflation will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of vouchers and threaten currently housed families with homelessness.

We call on the Administration and Congress to reject these draconian cuts that will harm our most vulnerable citizens and undermine our already significant public investment in this affordable housing stock.

12.5.16

Nation's Largest Public Housing Authorities Look to Dr. Ben Carson to be a Strong Advocate for Housing Stability

News

6.4.19

Comments to HUD Re: Docket No. FR-6085-P-01: Enhancing & Streamlining the Implementation of “Section 3” Requirements

CLPHA’s comments for the proposed rule on changes to Section 3, as well as a summary of the rule’s major changes to Section 3 that was reviewed on CLPHA’s member call, are available below. Please contact Senior Research & Policy Analyst Emily Warren with questions at ewarren@clpha.org.

View CLPHA's Comments

6.3.19

Agenda Available for CLPHA’s June 6 Member Call on HUD’s Proposed Non-Citizen Rule

CLPHA will host a call on June 6, 2019, at 2:00 PM ET to solicit feedback from CLPHA members on the recently proposed non-citizen rule, which would terminate subsidies for mixed status immigrant families currently receiving federal housing assistance; an agenda for the call is now available

5.31.19

CLPHA’s Draft Comments for Section 3 Proposed Rule Now Available

Draft comments for the proposed rule on changes to Section 3 are now available. CLPHA received valuable feedback on the changes during our recent member call and those concerns are reflected in our draft comments. Please contact Senior Research & Policy Analyst Emily Warren at ewarren@clpha.org with questions or concerns about the comments, which are due on Monday, June 3.