HUD's Public Housing Privatization Scheme "PETRA" Is Rejected

HUD's Public Housing Privatization Scheme "PETRA" Is Rejected


May 27, 2010



Petition In Opposition To The Privatization Of Public Housing

Feel free to sign a petition in opposition to the Obama Administration’s Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) initiative to privatize public housing by clicking on the following link below...

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-public-housing.html


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(Press Release)
Congresswoman Waters Expresses Concerns about Changes in Public Housing Programs


Washington, May 25 - 2010

http://waters.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=187239

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) today expressed concerns about the Obama Administration’s Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) initiative which would make changes in the nation’s public housing programs.  At a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee, Congresswoman Waters – who chairs the Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee – identified several areas of concern about the “Preservation, Enhancement, and Transformation of Rental Assistance Act of 2010”, legislation designed to implement TRA.  She outlined her objections both in a statement and while questioning Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), following his testimony.

Congresswoman Waters’ statement follows:

I appreciate Secretary Donovan joining us for today’s hearing on the Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative (TRA). TRA is designed to change the funding structure of the public housing program so that housing authorities are able to charge market rents, enabling them to receive a greater subsidy. Its other purpose is to enable the Department to consolidate its different rental programs into one. However, I have serious concerns about this proposal and how it would impact our public housing stock and the 1.2 million families who call this resource home.

Instead of receiving operating and capital funds from HUD, housing authorities would now have a long-term project-based assistance contract which would allow them to mortgage their public housing developments. I am very concerned about this aspect of the proposal.

First, I have questions about replacing public housing – which for the most part is affordable into perpetuity – with long-term contracts with a finite term. Under HUD’s proposal, housing authorities would enter into 20 or 30 year contracts with HUD and at the end of that term, the owner would either renew the contract or allow it to expire, giving the tenants vouchers. We know that this model doesn’t work. For example, as Ms. Montanez will testify on the second panel, since 1996, 400,000 affordable housing units have left HUD’s inventory. This is why Chairman Frank has worked for several years on legislation that would encourage more owners to remain in the program when their contract expires.

Second, I am very concerned about the bill’s one-for-one replacement provisions. The bill would allow developments in areas with an excess supply of affordable housing to replace 50 percent of public housing with vouchers. If TRA is supposed to preserve public housing, I fail to understand why vouchering out that housing is necessary for its preservation.

Third, I am concerned about what happens to public housing in the event of a foreclosure or bankruptcy. Right now we are in the middle of the worst foreclosure crisis this country has ever experienced. Many lenders made loans that simply weren’t sustainable and homeowners subsequently defaulted on those loans. While the foreclosure of one home may be a tragedy, it is an event that only affects one family. The foreclosure of a public housing development would have a devastating impact for dozens – and in some cases – hundreds of families. 

Finally, I am concerned about whether or not this proposal represents the privatization of public housing. I think there is value in public housing, particularly in the fact that it is “public” in the sense that its owners – housing authorities – are not profit driven. Public housing is very effective at serving the “hard to house” population – people who for one reason or another, can’t navigate the private rental market. Allowing the private sector to enter may provide housing authorities with more capital, but for-profit actors will be looking for a profit. Neither this Congress nor this Administration should allow anyone to profit at the expense of public housing residents.

Many housing advocacy organizations from across the country submitted written statements for the hearing record opposing TRA, including the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness and other Los Angeles housing and human rights organizations.


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(Berkeley Daily Planet)
The Far-Right Policy Shift to Privatize 1.2 Million Public Housing Units

By Lynda Carson
Tuesday May 25, 2010

In a stunning move that targets the poor, the Obama Administration is pushing hard to privatize our nations 1.2 million public housing units, in addition to proposing a radical change to the way 13 major federal subsidized housing programs including the Section 8 voucher program, are being funded by congress.

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/37gabru


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(Indy Bay News Wire)
HUD's far-right policy shift to privatize 1.2 million public housing units

by Lynda Carson -- May 25, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/05/25/18648805.php


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(Maxine Waters - AOL News)
SAVE AMERICA's PUBLIC HOUSING - No on PETRA! - NO on TRA!

Click below...

http://news.aol.ca/topic/maxine-waters/?topicid=3035077634

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(Truthout)
HUD is Trying to Privatize and Mortgage Off All of America’s Public Housing

Click below for full story by George Lakoff...

http://tinyurl.com/35vwfku


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(Common Dreams)
HUD is Trying to Privatize and Mortgage Off All of America’s Public Housing

Click below for full story by George Lakoff...

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/05/21-1


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Open Letter To President Regarding PETRA Legislation

Click below...

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1516821


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(Progressive Radio Network)
Obama Administration on the Verge of Giant Sell-Out to Conservatives -- How to Stop Them

MAY 24, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/36ksdmc


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(Around Harlem.com - The Voice of Urban America)
PETRA — Is the Future of Public Housing in Jeopardy?

by APRIL DAVIS on MAY 23, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2f932tc


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Residents of Public Housing In Richmond Against Mass Eviction

May 23, 2010

Click below...

http://rephrame.blogspot.com/


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(Open Left.com)
Privatizing public housing--Obama's "Shock Doctrine" march to the right of Bush

by: Paul Rosenberg
Sat May 22, 2010 at 12:00

http://tinyurl.com/248kqko


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Report: Public Housing Works, When You Invest In It

Saturday 22 May 2010
by: Jamilah King  |  ColorLines
Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/2be32rd


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LA's Project Tenants Mobilize Against HUD's Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative

(Low-income tenants feel sold out, don't want Section 8)

Bell Gardens Sun - Gloria Angelina Castillo - ‎May 6, 2010‎

By Gloria Angelina Castillo, EGP Staff Writer

Click below...

http://egpnews.com/?p=17943


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Berkeley Housing Authority Commissioner lashes out at critics

by Lynda Carson -- May 12, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/05/12/18647741.php


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(Street Spirit Newspaper - May 2010)

Housing Officials Charged With Conflict of Interest in Plan to Terminate Berkeley's Public Housing

Click below, see bottom half of page two...

http://tinyurl.com/2f3ad8t


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(Street Spirit Newspaper - April 2010)

Berkeley Officials Act to Terminate Public Housing

Click below, see page two...

http://tinyurl.com/29kur9f


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(Street Spirit Newspaper -- February 2010)

Berkeley Public Housing Tenants Demand Resignations

Click below, page two...

http://tinyurl.com/26lbu82


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Oakland Housing Authority ducks question of public housing privatization

By Lynda Carson -- May 5, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/05/05/18647046.php


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Conflict of interest corrupts Berkeley's public housing privatization scheme

By Lynda Carson -- April 29, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/04/30/18646238.php


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(Daily Californian)
Housing Authority Considers Privatizing Low-Income Units

By JASMINE MAUSNER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Monday, April 26, 2010

Plans to privatize 75 low-income public housing units in Berkeley, long opposed by tenants and local housing advocates, took another step forward as housing officials heard a proposal from a private developer during a special meeting Friday.

Click below for full story...

http://www.dailycal.org/article/109260/housing_authority_considers_privatizing_low-income


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(Berkeley Daily Planet)
Using Section 8 funding to dispose of Berkeley's public housing
By Lynda Carson
Tuesday April 27, 2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/2c6mwrr


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(Indy Bay News Wire)
Using Section 8 funding to dispose of Berkeley's public housing

by Lynda Carson -- April 26, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/04/26/18645740.php


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(WEAP)
ICF International's Carole Norris moves to terminate Berkeley's public housing program

By Lynda Carson
IndieBay
April 20, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2b25e7n


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(San Francisco Bay View Newspaper -- April 12, 2010)
Berkeley public housing residents were not informed of their rights

by Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/3alm4qa


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(Urban Habitat)
Efforts to terminate Berkeley's public housing program has stalled

Dateline: 04/09/2010
Source: Indy Bay News Wire.
by Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://urbanhabitat.org/node/5335


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(Indy Bay News Wire)
Efforts to terminate Berkeley's public housing program has stalled

by Lynda Carson -- April 9, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/04/09/18644143.php


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(Oakland Post -- Berkeley Tri City Post)
BHA intends to terminate it’s public housing program

Posted by admin on April 5th, 2010
By Lynda Carson

Click below for full story & photo... (a.k.a. Berkeley's public housing residents were not fully informed of their rights)
Click below...

http://www.postnewsgroup.net/postnewsgroupcom/?p=5939


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(Indy Bay News Wire)
BHA's public housing residents were not informed of their rights

By Lynda Carson -- March 29, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/29/18643284.php


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(Urban Habitat)
BHA attempts to block residents from buying their long-time public housing units

Dateline: 03/25/2010
Source: Indy Bay
By Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://urbanhabitat.org/node/5318


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(Indy Media)
Nonprofit developers want Berkeley's public housing, without the poor

by Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://indymedia.us/en/2010/03/41344.shtml


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(WEAP)
Nonprofit Developers are Interested in Berkeley's Public Housing, Minus the Poor

By Lynda Carson -- March 21, 2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/ybp6krd


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Berkeley's scheme to privatize public housing, double-crosses the poor

By Lynda Carson -- March 16, 2010

Click below....

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/16/18641467.php


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Mayor Tom Bates may have appointed BHA chair commissioner to annihilate Berkeley's public housing program

By Lynda Carson -- March 24, 2010

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/24/18642787.php


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(SF Bay View)
Berkeley Housing Authority's shady operations -- San Francisco Bay View

March 6, 2010 -- According to documents recently released online by the Office of the City Manager in Berkeley, the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) may ...

By Lynda Carson

Click below for full story...

http://www.sfbayview.com/2010/berkeley-housing-authority’s-shady-operations/


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(Urban Habitat)

Berkeley Housing Authority's shady operations
Dateline: 03/06/2010

By Lynda Carson

Berkeley – According to documents recently released online by the Office of the City Manager in Berkeley, the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) may receive kickbacks from a local non-profit housing developer in a scheme to privatize, revitalize and sell off its public housing. The scheme involves a vice president of consultant ICF International.


Click below...

http://urbanhabitat.org/node/5270


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(Oakland Post)
BHA May Get Benefits From Privatizing It's Public Housing Sites

by Lynda Carson -- March 5th, 2010

Click below...

http://www.postnewsgroup.net/postnewsgroupcom/?p=5249


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Shady operations in the Berkeley Housing Authority, may involve ICF International

by Lynda Carson -- March 3, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/03/03/18639429.php


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BHA may get kickbacks for privatizing it's public housing sites

by Lynda Carson -- February 28, 2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/02/28/18639061.php


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(Post Group Newspapers)
Berkeley Public Housing Tenants Demand Resignations

by Lynda Carson -- February 1, 2010

Click below...

http://www.postnewsgroup.net/postnewsgroupcom/?p=4853


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(Berkeley Daily Planet Newspaper)

Berkeley to Sell Off Public Housing Stock
By Riya Bhattacharjee

Berkeley Daily Planet -- Thursday January 07, 2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yb6hupx


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Local Housing Authority Plans To Privatize Units

Stephanie Baer, The Daily Californian, 1/21/2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yhngdxo

http://www.dailycal.org/issue.php?id=2391


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Tenants Rally Against Sale Of Public Housing

Riya Bhattacharjee, Berkeley Daily Planet, 1/21/2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/ybvsjdn


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City's Plan To Sell Public Housing Raises Tenants' Concern
Stephanie Baer, The Daily Californian, 1/20/2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yhyzsk9


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BHA attempts to block residents from buying their long-time public housing units

Dateline: 03/25/2010
Source: Indy Bay

By Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/5318


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(Indy Bay News Wire)

Berkeley's public housing residents oppose privatization of their housing

by Lynda Carson ( tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com )
Saturday Jan 2nd, 2010 4:50 AM

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/02/18634048.php


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(California Black Media)

Berkeley Public Housing Residents Oppose Privatization
Friday, 08 January 2010 09:32

By Lynda Carson ... Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yzp9sa3


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(Berkeley Daily Planet Newspaper)

Partisan Position: Residents Oppose Privatization of Berkeley Public Housing

By Lynda Carson

Berkeley Daily Planet -- Thursday January 07, 2010

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yajn84p


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(Berkeley Post Newspaper)
Berkeley’s public housing residents oppose privatization

By Lynda Carson -- January 6 - 12

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/ybhkhgk


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Commentary: Berkeley’s Public Housing Residents Oppose Privatization Of Their Housing

Lynda Carson, Bay Area Indymedia , 1/1/2010

Click below...

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/news/print.asp?id=30236


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(SF Bay View Newspaper)

January 4, 2010
Berkeley’s public housing residents oppose privatization

By Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/y874tvm


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(January 23, 2010 -- San Francisco Bay View Newspaper)
Berkeley public housing tenants demand resignations

by Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://tinyurl.com/yfrtwvq


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Berkeley Public Housing Tenants Demand Resignations


Lynda Carson, Bay Area Indymedia, 1/20/2010

Click below...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/20/18635737.php


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(Los Angeles Indy Media)
Berkeley public housing residents demand resignations


by Lynda Carson Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 at 9:50 PM

Click below...
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/01/234245.php


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News > Housing - The Daily Californian

A plan to sell Berkeley's 75 public housing units to private developers was approved by the Berkeley Housing Authority in December...Read More" ...

Click below...

http://www.dailycal.org/category.php?id=21


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(Urban Habitat)
Berkeley's public housing residents oppose privatization of their housing

Dateline: 01/01/2010
Source: Indy Bay

By Lynda Carson

Click below...

http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/5073