HUD Orders Public Housing Tenants to Volunteer

Thursday, October 30, 2003



Enacting a measure first approved in 2002 fiscal year legislation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (search) is ordering residents in government-assisted housing to volunteer their time or lose their home.

Under the new rule that went into effect this month, HUD is requiring eligible residents to contribute eight hours a month to community service projects and/or self-sufficiency programs.

HUD says the goal is to help make revitalized public housing communities more resilient and livable. Many of the service projects are designed to directly benefit the community ordered to contribute.

But some residents say they aren't pleased with the new rule.

"I live my life just like everybody else, you know?" said Regina Morgan, a resident of public housing and mother of four. "The fact that you are tying it into my lease, that is inhumane."

But supporters of the program say residents shouldn't look at the service as a mandatory requirement, but as an opportunity they can capitalize on.

"Any skills that you can pick up in any way are often very good, and can be used in a constructive way," said Khari Enaharo of the Columbus, Ohio, Housing Authority.

About 2 million residents will be affected by the new rule, and will be required to fill out a form similar to a time sheet and having counselors or administrators sign off on it. Local public housing authorities are responsible for notifying residents about their requirements and available opportunities, and for tracking resident participation. If residents refuse to participate, they can face eviction.

Disabled and elderly residents are exempted from the requirement as are residents already working more than 30 hours a week.

Government requirements linked to entitlement programs like HUD's community service program or the work requirement included in 1996 welfare reauthorization legislation are not new, and have been credited with putting thousands of people back to work and taking them off the public dole.

"People certainly have some obligation to give something back in exchange for what they receive," said Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute (search).

At least one resident said she is happy to participate, not only for her own self-improvement, but to demonstrate to everyone else that she can make a difference.

"It's a great opportunity. It gives you skills. You are helping, giving back to the community as well as living in the community," said public housing resident Michelle Norwood.

Morgan disagreed.

"If you are made to do something, you are not going to like it. You are not going to enjoy it. You are not going to come out better because of the experience," she said.

Even those who said recipients of public aid should pay something back in exchange for their benefits said no one should mistake community service programs for volunteerism.

"This is not volunteer," Tanner said. "This is mandatory work and we really shouldn't try to confuse the two. This is very much like workfare."

Fox News' Steve Brown contributed to this report.

What will they think of next the work farms, debtor's prison, or the draft for BS?

So if you're healthy and already working 30 hrs a week (not even full time), you don't have to participate. But those who are healthy and work less than 30 hrs a week and who are living in government subsidized housing paid for by our tax dollars have to work a grand total of 8 hours a month. And still they're complaining. They aren't even having to pay full rent or in many cases any rent, but yet they don't want to get off their lazy asses and work 8 hours a month in their own housing projects to improve the appearance and functionality of where they live. They have that kind of work attitude and then they wonder why they never get ahead in life.

I hope you don't become one of those people waiting for their FEMA handout. I hope you don't get aids, or cancer!!! I hope you don't ever suffer from depression, and have to try to avoid public injections of harmful drugs. Have a heart for the oppressed! Until you have walked in their shoes you don't know. Rents are high, and if you are working 30 hours a week, maybe you could get a part time job and make better wages. Why should you become a product of the state when you and your ancestors from the Revolution have paid in thousands!! Why is it okay for trillions dollars of debts to be given to coporate welfare, but not struggling people. If they get away with this, then what will be next!!!! I think people who complain about welfare or social programs must hate their job, and they are jealous. To me these programs keep people out of my back yard, and make it a little safer for everyone!! We can't all be Rockefellers!!! People make mistakes or have bad breaks. Like the people losing their houses in the California fires. Now that is a bad break. Many people have bad breaks right from the start. Lets not judge them, but help them!!! When a regular house is priced at $425,000 how is someone with a regular job suppose to pay for it? I will tell what people do in the poor neighborhoods, they shack up with almost anyone just to help with the rent. Many spouses are abused in the poor neighborhoods, and they put up with it to afford rent!!!! Single people who want to wait for marriage can hardly pay the expensive rent, so many choose to still live at their parent's home feeling like a failure. This is unfair to the parents when they finally get to the time of freedom, but yet have older kids living with them. Many fights can errupt from this! You figure 30 hours a week times 8 dollars an hour is $240. In four weeks you have $920 to pay for everything, medical, groceries, rent, car, insurance, phone, electricity, ect. Many older people are the ones to feel it, where they work less ours with bone aches. Yes, to a young person this is really nothing. Its just the whole nature of it, and where are they going with it. They can spend millions to line their own pockets, but forget about the little guys. Its called oppression. No one wants to humble themselves and take handouts, but they do it. Much depression goes with proverty, in such a judmental society, where money and power are everything!! People may have moral and ethics and may refuse to give in to the coporate or public corruptions making them left behind it a dog eat dog society. I have been through this!

They should not call this volunteering when it is mandatory. I wonder what kind of work they will make them do. Perhaps the shit jobs no one wants. Maybe a way to get cheap labor going through the government. Many people working less than 30 hours a week need time to find a better job, or are dealing with issues. I have been through crisis, and understand. The politician have sit down jobs, but expect older people to stay on their feet all day, and wait on them. For the most part programs for the poor are used to fill the politicians kiddy!! Look what they have done with Social Security. People who work for corporations are taking corporate welfare for their paychecks. Many of these jobs are no brainers, and many sit and play on the computer half of the day. I know, I use to temp and watch the executives!!!

The kind of jobs they'll be doing are things like touch-up painting, planting flowers, weeding the gardens, maintaining the building by fixing small things that need to be fixed, etc.... Essentially, they'll be doing the type of things that someone renting a home would be expected to do in order to show pride in where they live. And given that they are receiving tax money to live there, it's the least they can do to pitch in and help keep expenses down. We, the taxpayers, shouldn't be having to pay for their rent AND the total cost of keeping up the buildings. The residents should be more than happy to pitch in and keep the place up. Besides, who better than the residents to know what needs to be done.

Out to the fields, people! This cotton isn't going to pick itself!

What is 8 hours? This is not punishment this is what normal people do in their every day lives to maintain their living environment. They pick up trash, cut their grass, paint their fence, and plant flowers. This idea is genius. By the people spending that time trying to keep their own place nice, they in turn grow appreciation for what they have instead of reflecting on what they do not have. I am a hard working college student (African American if you do so wonder my ethnicity) I work to maintain my living conditions and I feel that this should be enforced. If I lived somewhere for a little of nothing and I was told to make sure I keep my things nice, I would be more then happy to. What is 8 hours, 2 hours a week, a few less time watching TV, or one less weekend at the club? Social welfare is an economic epidemic that will continue to get worse as time progresses. Therefore, are you "cotton picker" saying that people in public housing should not have to help in maintaining their living environment, and we the taxpayers should have more money taking out of our check so that people in public housing would not have to pick up trash that they put out? Wrong! Then you are saying that homeowners, who more then likely work over 40 hours, should be paid for keeping their yard clean. The United States I feel already puts out too much money to those who really do not want to help themselves. That figure looks over $350 billion dollars a year in 1999. Yes, there are those with special circumstances; but should I, and millions of other, have to suffer from those who choose to live the life cycle that is base on government assistance. Then those same people want to call out that is a racial thing and they just want us to be back in the fields again “picking cotton”. These are the same people waiting in line for more for nothing. Work!!! Get up and be productive. No, there is nothing wrong maintaining what is yours, keeping clean where you live, and showing pride in your development that is the way is should be.

(this is a late post comment 5 yrs. after the enactment of new HUD requirement)

Volunteer work should be exactly that: voluntary.
It is impossible to mandate volunteer work by definition. I have volunteered through various organizations including the Volunteer Center.
I noted the same sentiments there as expressed here by some postings. Also, it is a poor remedy to include service by those who financially lack status to alter the laws or regulations which impose mandatory employment for gain of housing. The laws which enable housing for equal access did so by providing obtainable dwelling for those who could not afford to pay for more "common market" housing. Their need was essentially financial. I think too easily needy could be exploited by community governments needing free labor. Isn't this the basis of why political leaders cannot bribe their constituents?
I would not desire, for example, a "volunteer" fireman to respond to my burning home if he actually did not wish to hold the job.
Others here posted that the volunteers would be maintaining the premises on which they reside. That is not the case in many circumstances. The HUD offices provide paying jobs for such persons.
The tenants often are required to pick up trash in city parks and other low skill positions not indicative of futhering their careers. I have heard more than one resident complain that they were doing the same community service that was required of the imposed
judicial system for crimminal offenders. Yeah, that really gave them opportunity huh?

it may be a good idea to some people but for me, my husband works 40 hrs. a week and i am a stay at home mom to my 3 year old and one on the way and i don't think i should be required to complete the hours..my husband already works 40 hrs a week and we are at the cut off point for the rent which means we pay the max amount for now and i have no childcare and son is not in preschool right now that's why i have no job..i think the whole thing is dumb