BROOKLYN - Rep.Edolphus "Ed" Towns (NY-10) issued the following statement today, commending the City of New York, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), for restoring Section 8 housing vouchers to thousands of New York City’s most vulnerable families.

"This is $32 million dollars of existing federal funds well spent and comes at a critical time when struggling families who need all the help they can are getting it from the very agencies that are designed to champion the interests of the people they serve.

"I applaud the efforts of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development for financing the rental subsidy vouchers that will help thousands of families. While we are certainly mindful of these difficult economic times and the constraints lawmakers are currently under to balance budgets--we cannot forget about those citizens who are most in need. This deal reflects the concern about the quality of life we have for all Americans."

The proposal by HPD, NYCHA, and the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal will use HPD’s existing federal funds to pay for the vouchers, and will create a rental assistance program to prevent the termination of Section 8 subsidies to current voucher holders and restore vouchers to 1,500 of the 2,600 families whose vouchers were rescinded in December 2009. The remaining families will be served as  NYCHA Section 8 vouchers become available through attrition in the program.
 

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