LANSING, Mich — Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general from across the country to urge Congress to invest in the nation’s public housing system.
The coalition penned a letter to congressional leadership earlier this month expressing concern about a lack of funding for public housing. They say the $40 billion in funding as part of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan is a good start but is “insufficient to address the years of neglect and underfunding of the nation’s public housing systems.”
Instead, the coalition estimates that the nation’s public housing portfolio requires at least $70 billion in capital investments, increasing to $90 billion through 2030.
“Safe and adequate housing requires adequate resources. And while this commitment is a good start, it does not go far enough to address years of underfunding,” Nessel said. “It’s long past time for public housing to receive this necessary funding.”
Public housing is a vital resource for cities, as it serves low-income families that might otherwise become homeless. According to the coalition, public housing units are kept affordable because federal regulation caps rent at 30% of a family’s income. However, the amount of rent collected is not enough to cover operation and maintenance costs.
It is capital support from the federal government that closes that gap.
“In recent years, especially, as the coalition notes, the political will has not existed to fully fund the gap between public housing rents paid and the cost of building operations and maintenance,” a release from Nessel’s office reads.
“The coalition calls on Congress to allocate sufficient funds to address the repair backlog, a forward-facing commitment to fund capital funding gaps, and a dedicated fund for lead remediation.”
Related video:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
