This proves Bush doesnt care about the little guy

[irishgrl]

Bush to cut Community Housing programs

Bush Plans Sharp Cuts in HUD Community Efforts

Fri Jan 14, 3:26 PM ET
Politics - washingtonpost.com

By Jonathan Weisman, Washington Post Staff Writer

The White House will seek to drastically shrink the Department of Housing and Urban Development's $8 billion community branch, purging dozens of economic development projects, scrapping a rural housing program and folding high-profile anti-poverty efforts into the Labor and Commerce departments, administration officials said yesterday.

The proposal in the upcoming 2006 budget would make good on President Bush's vow to eliminate or consolidate what he sees as duplicative or ineffective programs. Officials said yesterday that economic development programs are scattered too widely in the government and have proved particularly ineffectual at HUD.

Advocates for the poor, however, contended that the White House is trying to gut federal programs for the poorest Americans to make way for tax cuts, a mission to Mars and other presidential priorities. Administration officials would not say how much the consolidation would save, but it could lead to steep funding cuts. That is because the HUD programs would have to compete for resources in Commerce and Labor budgets that are not likely to expand to accommodate the shuffle.

"I'm always willing to look at consolidation, but clearly they're using consolidation as a shield for substantial budget reductions," said Rep. Barney Frank, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over housing and community development programs.

The plan was detailed in a December memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget to HUD. The document provides one of the first concrete examples of the types of cuts in the works as the administration comes to grips with a soaring deficit.

"The purpose of the exercise has nothing to do with achieving or not achieving savings," said one administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid preempting the Feb. 7 release of the president's fiscal 2006 budget request.

"What we are trying to accomplish is to meet our obligation to people living in distressed communities, to hold communities accountable for helping those people and to become more efficient in the process," another official said.
HUD programs to be moved under proposal Program's annual cost Destination
Community Development Block Grant $4.7 billion Commerce
Youthbuild USA high school dropout outreach $62 million Labor
Brownfields Economic Development $23.8 million Commerce
Rural Housing and Economic Development $23.8 million Eliminated
Empowerment Zones/Renewal Community $9.9 million Commerce

SOURCE: Office of Management and Budget | Graphic: The Washington Post

Congressional housing aides say the $4.7 billion Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program -- the bulk of the community planning budget -- could be cut as much as 50 percent. Cities have become dependent on HUD's development programs, especially the CDBG, which has existed for 30 years, city officials said. Stanley Jackson, director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, said the city has used CDBG grants of $21 million to $22 million a year for clinics, recreation centers, day-care facilities, literacy programs and housing development.

With housing and property values skyrocketing, the need for such programs for low-income families has never been higher, he said.

"If this is a backdoor way of eliminating a program like CDBG, it would have a profoundly negative impact on cities," said Jim Hunt, a vice president of the National League of Cities and a city council member in Clarksburg, W.Va.

Under the plan, the CDBG program -- which provides multipurpose development grants to state and local governments -- would be sent to the Commerce Department. The Urban Empowerment Zones and the Renewal Community programs -- both of which offer tax incentives for development in urban or other troubled areas -- would also go to Commerce, as would the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative, designed to revitalize abandoned industrial sites.

Youthbuild USA, a $62 million program to teach teens home-construction skills, would be sent to the Labor Department. The $24 million rural housing and economic development program would probably be eliminated.

HUD would maintain the Home Investment Partnerships to build or buy affordable housing, homeless assistance programs and housing assistance for AIDS sufferers. The budget would eliminate $260 million in economic development projects earmarked for this year by lawmakers. HUD could ultimately lose a quarter of its $31 billion budget.

White House officials said HUD employees would have to stay on the job to oversee outstanding grants for some time. But with Bush promising an aggressive attack on domestic spending, the 817 HUD community planning and development employees are girding for the worst.

"It's a body blow," said one career employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being fired.

The proposal could face an uphill fight in Congress, said Frank, who called the proposal "just appalling." With budgets tight, vested interests in the Commerce and Labor departments would be expected to favor their programs over the newcomers from HUD. "It wouldn't even be a fair fight," he said.

Moreover, HUD has evolved into an agency designed to support urban interests and low-income citizens, while Commerce and Labor are more receptive to business needs. Indeed, community development programs at HUD are far larger than those at Commerce and Labor, said Saul Ramirez Jr., executive director of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and a former deputy secretary of housing. The Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration has a $320 million budget, a fraction of CDBG's allocation.



"If there are any programs in Commerce that encourage direct economic development to some of the most disadvantaged and blighted areas, those programs are dwarfed by these programs," he said. "If [consolidation] is what they want, the reverse should be proposed."

One White House official agreed that HUD programs have more of a community focus, while the Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration is more interested in economic growth. But, he said, "they're funding a lot of the same things."

HUD's city focus may be why the White House is dismantling the HUD programs, Frank charged. "HUD is the place where mayors and urban interests can put up the strongest fight," he said.

[77Rumours77]

HA!
Thats for all you suckas how voted for him!
BOO YA! lol

[gldstwmn]

Yup, every liberal president from Roosevelt to Carter's social programs are being cut.
HUD/section 8 properties in my area are being evacuated and turned over to be sold as for profit real estate ventures.
In fact, I'm working on a purchase for a client right now in which the land that was developed into a PUD was obtained via eminent domain. It had some houses on it and some of it was farm land (non working) that was in city limits. She went to work, all excited about her new home. When she told one of her co-workers her new address, she found out the co-workers parents had owned some of the land for 70 years and were forced to move when the development was green lighted by the city. She plans to hang a photograph of the area prior to development in her new home because she feels bad about it and wants to appease any old spirtis that may be hanging around.
Living in a totalitarian fascist state isn't bad as long as you're in one of the upper classes. Y'all take cover. Oh and God bless.

[SuzeQuze]

In my area of Boston a small one bedroom apartment sells at about 300 to 350k. A reasonably sized 2 bedroom would be 500+. I do not know how a "normal income" family could own here. They can't. All of MA is insane. I've searched for condos for 150k and only a tiny handful are available. They are somewhat remote, or need a lot of work. You cannot get a decent house here for less than 300k, unless it is remote. This "plan" is awful. As if we needed any more proof that Bush hates the poor. I guess "hate" is strong but who else would you treat so badly but an enemy? He sucks, man.

[GypsySorcerer]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

Bush to cut Community Housing programs

Youthbuild USA, a $62 million program to teach teens home-construction skills, would be sent to the Labor Department. The $24 million rural housing and economic development program would probably be eliminated.

The rural population elected him. The sad thing is, even with policies that hurt them, most of the rural population would still vote for Bush today. They're too afraid that the liberals are going to come confiscate their guns and Bibles.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by GypsySorcerer

The rural population elected him. The sad thing is, even with policies that hurt them, most of the rural population would still vote for Bush today. They're too afraid that the liberals are going to come confiscate their guns and Bibles.

It literally makes me ill. I have an old e-mail account I went to clean out and there were some pro-Bush e-mails in there from my aunt, who I now feel like shaking. I am just flabberghasted. She's certainly not rich and she comes from poverty because her father died when she was about 9. Her mother was left to raise 5 kids on Social Security. See my conundrum? As they say on Morning Sedition, "Wake up sheeple!"

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

Advocates for the poor, however, contended that the White House is trying to gut federal programs for the poorest Americans to make way for tax cuts, a mission to Mars

a trip to Mars to locate the OBL & those darn tootin' WMD's I bet (Cant forget the U.S. has to protect the population of Mars from radical extremist too)

[½ ¡Ñ§ÅñË ®]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

All of MA is insane.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

In my area of Boston a small one bedroom apartment sells at about 300 to 350k. A reasonably sized 2 bedroom would be 500+. I do not know how a "normal income" family could own here. They can't. All of MA is insane. I've searched for condos for 150k and only a tiny handful are available. They are somewhat remote, or need a lot of work. You cannot get a decent house here for less than 300k, unless it is remote. This "plan" is awful. As if we needed any more proof that Bush hates the poor. I guess "hate" is strong but who else would you treat so badly but an enemy? He sucks, man.

Come west young woman. I just saw the cutest bungalow townhouse with wood floors, fireplace and a clawfoot tub for $160,000.

[amber]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Come west young woman. I just saw the cutest bungalow townhouse with wood floors, fireplace and a clawfoot tub for $160,000.

But not too far west, don't come to Cali. It's the same, but worse.
Wow, really, GDW? yum! Wish I could!

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by GypsySorcerer

The rural population elected him. The sad thing is, even with policies that hurt them, most of the rural population would still vote for Bush today. They're too afraid that the liberals are going to come confiscate their guns and Bibles.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Come west young woman. I just saw the cutest bungalow townhouse with wood floors, fireplace and a clawfoot tub for $160,000.

in Oklahoma ya can get the same for around $40,000...For $160,000 you can by a small mansion or a newly built 3 Bedroom 2 Bath 2 car garage with acreage.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Come west young woman. I just saw the cutest bungalow townhouse with wood floors, fireplace and a clawfoot tub for $160,000.

I'm drooling. That's awesome and in my price range.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by amber

But not too far west, don't come to Cali. It's the same, but worse.
Wow, really, GDW? yum! Wish I could!

I'm half tempted to buy it as an investment property.
California real estate is a whole other matter. But it is beautiful there so...

[irishgrl]

I bought a little (very little LOL!) manufactured home (2bd 2ba) for $85k up in the mountains above Chico right before the interest rates started going up. That was 2 years ago and my little place could appraise over $100k right now! I've heard of people selling their homes in CA and moving east and paying CASH for a HUGE home, with lots of land! If my heart wasnt tied to this corner of the world, I'd GO! But, as someone else said, its pretty here in CA, some parts prettier than others, but hey! Course, where Amber lives you deal with folks with attitude, noise, dirt, traffic, mad rush at 3 am etc.....believe me I know, I commuted via BART train for an hour to get to the city to go to law school...