File #: Res 0394-2004    Version: Name: Eliminate the shortfall in funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Committee: Committee on Housing and Buildings
On agenda: 6/7/2004
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon President Bush and the United States Congress to eliminate the shortfall in funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and to restore full funding for Fiscal Year 2004.
Sponsors: Melinda R. Katz, Helen D. Foster, Diana Reyna, Tony Avella, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Gale A. Brewer, Yvette D. Clarke, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Erik Martin Dilan, Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile, Alan J. Gerson, Letitia James, John C. Liu, Margarita Lopez, Michael E. McMahon, Hiram Monserrate, Michael C. Nelson, Annabel Palma, Christine C. Quinn, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Joel Rivera, James Sanders, Jr., Albert Vann, David I. Weprin, Robert Jackson, Tracy L. Boyland, Sara M. Gonzalez, Helen Sears, Gifford Miller
Council Member Sponsors: 31
Attachments: 1. Committee Report, 2. Hearing Transcript, 3. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
6/28/2004AMelinda R. Katz City Council Approved, by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/28/2004*Melinda R. Katz Committee on Housing and Buildings Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/28/2004AMelinda R. Katz Committee on Housing and Buildings Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/28/2004*Melinda R. Katz Committee on Housing and Buildings Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/28/2004*Melinda R. Katz Committee on Housing and Buildings Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/7/2004*Melinda R. Katz City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/7/2004*Melinda R. Katz City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
Res. No. 394-A
 
 
Resolution calling upon President Bush and the United States Congress to eliminate the shortfall in funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and to restore full funding for Fiscal Year 2004.
 
 
 
By Council Members Katz, Foster, Reyna, Avella, Baez, Barron, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Dilan, Fidler, Gentile, Gerson, James, Liu, Lopez, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Palma, Quinn, Recchia, Rivera, Sanders, Vann, Weprin, Jackson, Boyland, Gonzalez, Sears and The Speaker (Council Member Miller)
 
Whereas, The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program was established in 1976 and primarily helps families with income levels no greater than 50 percent of area median income; and
 
Whereas, Section 8 vouchers enable these low-income families to pay no more that 30% of their household income in rent, with the difference in rent covered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the agency that administers Section 8 vouchers; and
 
Whereas, The Associated Press reported that the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers help "nearly 2 million families through some 2,500 local agencies;" and
 
Whereas, There are more than 90,500 households that receive Section 8 vouchers in New York City, housing approximately 229,000 individuals; and
 
Whereas, In its Fiscal Year 2004 budget, Congress took measures to sustain full funding of Section 8 vouchers; and
 
Whereas, In a way inconsistent with Congressional intent, HUD changed the formula for funding allocations on April 22, 2004 in Notice PIH 2004-7, putting the Section 8 program in jeopardy of inadequate funding; and
 
Whereas, Public housing authorities across the nation, including the New York City Housing Authority, had allocated vouchers during Fiscal Year 2004 before Notice PIH 2004-7 changed the formula retroactively, thereby creating a shortfall; and  
 
Whereas, Notice PIH 2004-7 notified public housing authorities that Section 8 vouchers would be funded at the level of August 1, 2003, adjusted for rental inflation according to a formula set by HUD; and
 
Whereas, In some areas, voucher costs have risen faster than inflation; and
 
Whereas, Existing vouchers have never before been cut in the almost thirty-year history of the Section 8 program; and
 
Whereas, Public Housing Authorities may be forced to resort to reducing the value of existing vouchers, restricting eligibility, or cutting the number of available vouchers, among other tactics; and
 
Whereas, The two agencies in New York City that administer Section 8 vouchers, the New York City Housing Authority and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development estimate their funding shortfalls for Fiscal Year 2004 at $40 million and $15.5 million, respectively; and
 
Whereas, The New York Times has called the cuts "ill-advised" and called HUD's approach "hostile;" and
 
Whereas, H.R. 4263, introduced by Rep. Barney Frank, would rectify the immediate 2004 funding shortfall; now, therefore, be it
 
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon President Bush and the United States Congress to eliminate the shortfall in funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and to restore full funding for Fiscal Year 2004.
 
 
 
LS #1147/1165
SJM