Title:
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Resolution calling upon the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 2493 to repeal the requirements under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for residents of public housing to engage in community service and to complete economic self-sufficiency programs as a condition of continued residency in public housing.
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Res. No. 136
Title
Resolution calling upon the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 2493 to repeal the requirements under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for residents of public housing to engage in community service and to complete economic self-sufficiency programs as a condition of continued residency in public housing.
Body
By Council Members Foster, Barron, Brewer, Gerson, Jackson, Lopez, Quinn, Rivera, Sanders and Serrano; also Council Member Boyland
Whereas, Congressman Charles Rangel has introduced H.R. 2493 to repeal the requirements under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for residents of public housing to engage in community service and to complete economic self-sufficiency programs as a condition of continued residency in public housing; and
Whereas, the New York City Housing Authority may implement the community service requirement that adult public housing residents must "volunteer" eight hours a month in community service or face eviction, and if one person in the family does not perform the community service, then the whole family could be evicted; and
Whereas, NYCHA estimates that about 70,000 to 80,000 residents, more than 10% of public housing residents, may be subject to the community service requirement, excluding exemptions for the elderly, disabled, full-time workers/students, those in work-related programs; and
Whereas, The community service requirement is unfair in that it singles out only public housing residents and not residents of other types of Federally assisted housing, such as Section 8 and 236 subsidized residents, and as well, no other state or city housing program has this requirement; and
Whereas, The Resident Advisory Board for the New York City Housing Authority and the New York City Resident Alliance have condemned the community service requirement as forced labor; now, therefore be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 2493 to repeal the requirements under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for residents of public housing to engage in community service and to complete economic self-sufficiency programs as a condition of continued residency in public housing.