---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 18:53:33 -0400


Subject: Write officials to up HUD Housing Budget/Center for Community Change FWD

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FWD  From: Center for Community Change

                Center for Community Change
                Special Alert
                October 26, 1998

                GRASSROOTS SIGN-ON LETTER FOR HUD'S FY 2000 BUDGET

                BACKGROUND: As the ink dries on HUD's FY1999 Appropriations
Bills, the federal budget process is already underway for FY2000. HUD will
be putting together a budget plan and negotiating with the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in November and December to determine what the
President will offer in his budget proposal to Congress in January.

                ACTION NEEDED: Now is the time to tell HUD and the
President to increase funding for housing programs. The national Campaign
for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) is circulating a
local organization sign-on letter (see below). After endor{*filter*}ts are
collected, the letter will be sent to President Clinton and members of
Congress. Last year over 1200 organizations signed onto the FY1999 letter.
National organizations hope to dramatically increase that number this year.

                THE LETTER:

                Dear President/Representative/Senator NAME:

                On behalf of the organizations that comprise the Campaign
for Housing and Community Development Funding and its affiliates, we
request that you support a FY2000 Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) budget that allows us to continue rebuilding communities
and developing homes for all people, especially the poor. The FY'99 budget
took a great step forward toward meeting the housing deficits of low-income
people and distressed communities. Yet, according to HUD's 1998 worst case
housing needs report, Rental Housing Assistance - The Crisis Continues,
there are at least 5.3 million households that pay more than half of their
incomes for rent and/or live in severely abandoned, substandard homes. Even
in strong economic times, many low-income people do not live in safe,
decent and affordable homes. Federal housing resources are essential to our
efforts to reduce these housing burdens and address the community
development needs of under-served people, and successfully prevent
homelessness, maintain self-sufficiency and reduce poverty.

                In FY2000, new budgetary rules may threaten these valuable
resources, pitting serious housing needs against competing priorities. In
addition, as welfare time limits fast approach, each HUD dollar becomes
even more vital to the stability of very low-income families who are trying
to improve their economic status without having their incomes consumed by
housing costs. Expanded HUD funding in FY2000 can help build healthy
communities and meet the growing needs of the residents in ourcommunities.

                Sincerely,

                To sign on to this letter, please complete and fax the

                Local Organization's
Name______________________________________________________

                City
_______________________________________________________State_____________

                Contact
Name/Title_____________________________________________________________

                Contact's Phone Number______________________

                PRESIDENT SIGNS HOUSING BILL

                UPDATE: On October 21, 1998 the President signed into law
the Fiscal Year 1999 HUD appropriations bill. The Quality Housing and Work
Responsibility Act of 1998 is Title V of the HUD appropriations bill. For
more information about the bill, refer to Policy Alert #139.

                MATERIALS AVAILABLE: The full text of the HUD/VA bill (HR
4194/H. Rept. 105-769), including the public housing reforms, is available
in the October 5 Congressional Record. The HUD/VA sections begin on page H
9359; the public housing section, Title V, begins on page H 9375. To view
the report (with or without Acrobat Reader) go to this URL:
http://www.***.com/

                Type in "105-769" in the search term box (this is the
number of the conference report) and type in "10/5/98" in the "issue date"
box. You will have two viewing options.

                If you receive a copy of this Alert and would like to be
added to or removed from the e-mail distribution  list, please send a note

organization, address, phone, fax, e-mail)

                Posted by: Kathi Kennedy
                Organization: HandsNet

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