HUD’s Power Grab > The Obama administration plots a wholesale federal intrusion into local housing policy

President Obama may have been distracted by Syria, but his domestic presidency proceeds apace, seeking what he heralds as “the transformation of the United States.” Especially is this true at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which aims to remake neighborhoods all across America, starting, as we’ll see, in Westchester County, N.Y.

SHAUN DONOVAN

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Established in 1965 at the height of the last unambiguously progressive presidency, HUD enforces, among other laws, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which forbids discrimination in housing on the basis of race and ethnicity. That act, together with other statutes, says HUD, also directs “program participants”​—​local governments and states that receive federal housing grants, and also public housing agencies​—​to go beyond simply combating discrimination. They are to take “proactive steps” to “address significant disparities in access to community assets, .  .  . overcome segregated living patterns and support and promote integrated communities, [and] .  .  . end racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty.” HUD has a name for all this proactive step-taking: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, also known in HUD circles by its acronym, AFFH.

It so happens, however, that the transformation of America by means of AFFH has been a bit too slow in coming. Says HUD: “The current practice of affirmatively furthering fair housing as carried out by HUD grantees .  .  . has not been as effective” as it should have been. Indeed, housing secretary Shaun Donovan has called it “a meaningless paper exercise without any teeth,” a difficult metaphor to conceptualize, but you get the point.

Via: Weekly Standard

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HUD Secretary: Without tax hikes, Latinos will go to the 'back of the line'

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Congress must raise taxes on the wealthy "because there just isn't enough to go around," Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute today. 

"Latino growth has meant that often they're at the back of the line for housing assistance or other things," Donovan said during CHCI's annual Public Policy Conference this morning at the Ronald Reagan Building in D.C. "And the fundamental problem here (in part) is, are we going to continue to invest in those things? And if we continue to cut the budget for Section 8 housing and public housing and a whole range of other things -- if we don't fix this fiscal cliff in a fair way that actually asks higher-income Americans to pay their fair share -- Latinos are going to have to continue to wait in the back of the line, because there just isn't enough to go around. And that's a fundamental problem in our housing system, but it's a much bigger problem that is a huge issue when we make a decision about what our investments are going to be in Congress."

Donovan's remarks should play well among the Latino community if the polling data provided before he spoke holds true about how Latinos believe the deficit and economic crises should be addressed.

"We see an overwhelming percentage of Latinos want to see some amount of tax increases along with cuts," Dr. Matt Barreto of Latino Decisions told CHCI. "The most popular answer [46 percent] was just saying increasing taxes on the wealthy, that they need to pay a little bit more, rejecting the idea that we should only focus on cuts. And another large percentage -- 37 percent -- saying 'yes, tax increases should be part of the solution with cuts.'"

Barreto added that 56 percent of Latinos surveyed said "that government should invest in projects -- that's the way you stimulate the economy." He noted that only about 29 or 30 percent of Latinos believe that tax cuts can fix the economy.

Donovan emphasized his call for tax increases. "This is a fundamental choice," he said. "Is everyone going to pay their fair share? Or are we going to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable and our most recent Americans? And, it's simply unfair."

Via: The Examiner

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