ACTION ALERT!! Stop Adverse Changes to Section 8 Program
November, 2004

Kathy McGinley
Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS),

HOUSING ALERT: Congress and the Bush Administration Consider Major Changes to Section 8 Program that will Harm People with Disabilities.

This week, House and Senate negotiators are considering major changes to the Section 8 rental voucher program as part of final deliberations on the FY 2005 appropriation for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These changes could include adoption of major portions of the Bush Administration's "Flexible Voucher" plan to convert Section 8 to a capped block grant program and create disincentives that will prevent local housing agencies from targeting rental assistance to extremely low- income households -- especially people with disabilities who are on Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Despite the fact that both the House and Senate proposed budgets for the FY 2005 HUD-VA Appropriations bill, HR 5041/S 2825, reject the "Flexible Voucher" plan, efforts are being made to revive major portions of it as Congress moves to finish work on the bill by the end of this week.

ACTION REQUIRED

Advocates are strongly encouraged to contact members of Congress and urge them to support provisions in the Senate version of the FY 2005 VA-HUD Appropriations bill that:

• provide sufficient funding for FY 2005 to renew all current Section 8 vouchers and reject the $1.6 billion cut to Section 8 and
• reject the Administration's "Flexible Voucher" proposal, including efforts to convert the program to capped dollar-based block grant, eliminate targeting requirements for extremely low-income households and allow for arbitrary time limits on assistance.
• In particular, advocates are urged to ask their Senators and House member to reach out to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittees (Senators Bond & Mikulski and Representatives Walsh & Mollohan) to support the funding levels and protections for Section 8 in the Senate bill.

Direct contact Information on each Senator at home and in DC is available at the website.

Direct contact information on each Representative is available at the website or you can call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be transferred to a specific office.

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