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Press RoomNAHRO to Testify before Congress on Housing Needs in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- On Thursday, Sept. 15, Henry A. Alvarez III, president and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA), will testify on behalf of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) before the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity. The hearing, entitled "Emergency Housing Needs in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," is for the purpose of examining the long- and short-term housing issues brought about by the disaster. Approximately 1.2 million of those affected by Hurricane Katrina receive some form of housing assistance. In his testimony, Alvarez will reinforce the role of public housing authorities (PHAs) as key to responding to the needs of Katrina's victims. Among other efforts to help families who have migrated to San Antonio as a result of the hurricane, the SAHA has activated an Emergency Response Hotline to collect information from displaced families in need of housing and coordinated the efforts of volunteers willing to help displaced families looking for housing. To date, SAHA has also collected information from 1,149 families who have self-identified as having been on housing assistance at the time of the hurricane, and from another 2,025 families who had not been on any form of housing assistance at the time of the hurricane. On behalf of NAHRO, Alvarez will also call on Congress to authorize and fund at least 50,000 emergency tenant assistance vouchers for hurricane victims not currently receiving Section 8 assistance. NAHRO has also recommended Congress authorize the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to waive both statutory and regulatory provisions for the purpose of applying federal resources in the most effective manner to aid Katrina victims. In response to longer-term housing concerns, Alvarez will share NAHRO's recommendations, including immediate cost assessments and appropriations to PHAs for repair of salvageable units; a flexible, streamlined plan of action to replace lost units; adequate funding for Community Development Block Grants to supplement infrastructure recovery at the local level; and the implementation of a package of federal tax incentives to stimulate redevelopment and rejuvenate economies in the affected areas. With respect to the ability to meet both the short-term needs of families impacted by the hurricane as well as the longer-term needs of families for whom decent affordable housing remains out of reach, Alvarez will inform Congress that now is the time to get serious about the production of new units of affordable housing. He will also commend Housing Subcommittee Chairman Ney, Congressman Frank and other members of the committee for their leadership regarding H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. NAHRO represents over 18,000 housing and community development professionals and nearly 3,300 agency members, comprising housing authorities, community development departments, and redevelopment agencies. The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), established
in 1933, is a membership organization of 21,000 housing and community development
agencies and professionals throughout the United States whose mission is to
create affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality
of life for all Americans, especially those of low- and moderate-income. NAHRO's
membership administers more than 3 million housing units for 7.6 million people.
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