by Ethan Handelman, National Housing Conference
The HOME program is under attack again. On November 2 at 2 p.m., there will be a joint hearing by the Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee and the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of House Financial Services. The title is “Fraud in the HOME Program.” We anticipate that the hearing will showcase attacks on the program, as the witness list includes Mr. Timothy Traux, described as having been “convicted of defrauding organizations that received funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program,” and another unnamed witness with the same description. See the hearing listing for updated information on witnesses: http://financialservices.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=266369.
We in the housing community know that HOME is a key tool for creating affordable homes and stimulating local economic activity. It has created over 1 million affordable homes, assisted low-income renters, and enabled development and preservation of affordable rental properties. Congress needs to hear from us about all that HOME accomplishes.
NHC has stated our strong support of the HOME program to the Subcommittees in advance of the hearing. We urge you to reach out to any members with whom you have contact to express support for the HOME program and describe its impact on families, communities, and the local economies you work with. You can read our letter here: https://nhc.org/media/files/NHC_Letter_in_Support_of_HOME_10_31_11.pdf. Watch NHC’s Open House Blog for updates on the hearing.