NYSPHADA UPDATE 5-7-2009
Created: 2009-05-08 08:01:53
Dear NYSPHADA Members:
The President released further details of his proposed Fiscal Year 2010 budget today.
The Administration's budget serves as a blueprint of recommendations to the Congressional Appropriations Committees. It is Congress' role to tax and spend, so the final decisions ultimately rest with them.
However, traditionally a new President is provided a certain courtesy by Congress, particularly when the parties in power are the same. While the budget focuses on the President's priorities of education, health care, and energy initiatives, there is good news for public and assisted housing.
The public housing operating fund would be provided $4.6 billion, an amount equal to 100% of phas' estimated eligibility for operating subsidies under the current operating fund formula. The public housing capital fund would be provided $2.24 billion. The budget document states: "This [operating fund] request will ensure that PHAs can effectively operate and manage their public housing portfolios. The Capital Fund request, coupled with the program's $4 billion appropriation in the Recovery Act, is sufficient to cover newly accruing needs and significantly reduce the backlog of unmet needs."
The Housing Choice Voucher program would be funded at $17.8 billion. According to the budget, "With this budget, the Department reaffirms its commitment to improving the Housing Choice Voucher program and enabling Public Housing Authorities to fund vouchers under lease as of the end of 2008, as well as all 2009 incremental vouchers." The Administration will be proposing detailed legislative and regulatory reforms to improve the program.
The budget also proposes zeroing out the HOPE VI program and replacing it with a new $250 million competitive grant program called the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, and fully funding the Community Development Block Grant program.
I look forward to providing more details at NYSPHADA's upcoming Spring Conference. For further discussion at this time, please feel free to contact me at the number below or by email.
Sincerely,
Melody Fennel
NYSPHADA Legislative Consultant
Melody H. Fennel
Fennel Consulting, LLC
101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Suite 900 East
Washington, D.C. 20001
phone: 202.742-4557
fax: 202.315-3045