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2003-11-28 -- Homelessness and Thanksgiving

This is a good piece on homelessness by Don McCanne

The White House November, 2003 President's Thanksgiving Message

On this day, we also remember those less fortunate among us. They are
our neighbors and our fellow citizens, and we are committed to
reaching out to them and to all of those in need in our communities.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/20031121-10.html

 National Low Income Housing Coalition Weekly Housing Update:
Memo to Members November 21, 2003
Point of View by Sheila Crowley, President, NLIHC

I was in Worcester, MA, this week. There are 50 homeless families
living in hotels and motels. Last year at this time, there were five.
The shelters are full and no one is leaving shelter for permanent
housing. There are some apartments for rent and landlords are looking
for tenants. But the housing wage in Worcester County is $15.90 an
hour, and the housing available for rent is out of reach for the
families who need it. There are no subsidies to fill the gap. Social
service agencies have far fewer funds for temporary rent assistance
and eviction prevention than they did last year. The federal housing
voucher program here is frozen. Any voucher that becomes available
cannot be reissued because they have already exceeded their funding
allocation. Because of state budget problems, the rent was raised in
state funded public housing, and some residents have already lost
their homes. And it is not even cold yet.

Congress is stuck in Washington arguing over how much to enrich the
energy and pharmaceutical fatcats and has yet to pass a housing budget
for the fiscal year that started October 1. And the best housing
budget they can possibly pass this year will be the worst housing
budget in a long time, given the high risk that the housing voucher
program will lose funding this year for the first time in its 30-year
history.

One would think that Members of Congress who support this HUD budget
might be a little sheepish about going home and facing their
constituents at Thanksgiving, the time of year when more attention is
called to the plight of the poor. But now they needn't worry. An op-ed
in the Washington Times ("Housing policy in need," November 18, 2003)
this week gave them plenty of ideological cover to neglect the social
safety net. Doug Bandow from the libertarian Cato Institute, writing
about Howard Husock's recently assembled essays in book form, turns
housing policy on its head. In the world according to Mr. Husock, it
is housing advocates who push for housing subsidies and minimum
housing standards who are responsible for the shortage of housing for
that low income people can afford. All this market interference is the
problem. If left to its own devices, the market would provide enough
housing for everyone, however squalid it might be. But squalor is just
another market force to motivate people to work harder, improve their
lot in life, and move to better housing. And getting rid of housing
programs that help low income people is for their own good.

Mr. Husock helps the social Darwinists in Congress justify their
actions, and maybe they will sleep better over the Thanksgiving
holiday. But he offers no comfort to the families stranded in the
shelter system with nowhere to turn.

http://www.nlihc.org/mtm/mtm8-46.html


 Responsible Wealth Action News September, 2003
Federal Housing Subsidies

Last year, the federal government spent $143 billion on housing
subsidies. Less than 18% of these expenditures benefited the poorest
20% of Americans. More than 62% of these expenditures benefited the
richest 20% of Americans.

The home mortgage interest deduction is the nation's largest housing
subsidy, reducing federal income tax collections by $64 billion in
2002.

Though taken for granted by most taxpayers, these tax-saving
opportunities are one of many tax laws that grant benefits to those
who already own assets, while excluding those who cannot afford home
ownership.

http://www.responsiblewealth.org/newsletter/RWNews0903.pdf

 National Coalition for the Homeless NCH Fact Sheets July 2003 People
Need Health Care

For people struggling to pay the rent, a serious illness or disability
can start a downward spiral into homelessness, beginning with a lost
job, depletion of savings to pay for care, and eventual eviction.

Homelessness severely impacts health and well-being. The rates of
acute health problems are extremely high among people experiencing
homelessness.

Children without housing experience numerous health problems that
impact their development.

Universal access to affordable, high-quality and comprehensive health
care is essential in the fight to end homelessness. A health insurance
system could reduce homelessness and, more significantly, help to
prevent future episodes of homelessness.

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/facts/health.html


Comment: Happy Thanksgiving

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