Congressman Al Green Secures Over $40 Million For Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

(Washington, DC)--On Wednesday, the Financial Services Committee passed legislation that included language introduced by Congressman Al Green (TX-09) that would address low-income housing shortages along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.  Congressman Al Green successfully authorized 4,500 new project-based vouchers to create housing for persons displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $5 million for fair housing programs along the Gulf Coast, and a program requiring HUD to reimburse landlords who participated in the FEMA city lease program.  These provisions were included in H.R. 1227, the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007, which passed out of committee by a 50 to 16 vote.  The bill is expected to get a vote by the full House in the coming weeks.

"An adequate supply of affordable rental housing is essential for the return of families displaced by the hurricanes, as well as the recovery of those regions devastated by the hurricanes," Congressman Al Green said.  "My amendment authorizing 4,500 new project-based vouchers will help restore an important resource that was significantly reduced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affordable rental housing for the elderly, the disabled, and the homeless."

"As a Representative from a community that has been adversely impacted by the Gulf Coast Hurricanes, Al Green has been an effective advocate of his home area and a strong advocate of national policy," House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank said.  "Rep. Green's amendment will allow for the construction of badly needed housing units in the Gulf Coast, and this amendment sets a precedent for future housing measures for the Houston area and the country."

Congressman Al Green's project-based voucher amendment authorizes approximately $36 million for new project-based Section 8 housing vouchers to support 4,500 permanent supportive housing units, 3,000 of which would go to Louisiana.  These vouchers could be used by developers to help finance construction and restoration of badly-needed affordable housing.  Project-based Section 8 housing vouchers are one of the most effective ways to ensure that units are affordable to low-income families.

"I am proud that the Committee approved my amendment to increase funding for fair housing organizations in Texas, Louisiana, and other states impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by $5 million," Congressman Al Green said.  "With these additional funds we will be able to perform more investigations that will expose the housing discrimination faced by many Katrina and Rita evacuees.  Funds will also be used for capacity building, education and outreach such that people with complaints will have an outlet for their complaints and exercise their right to fair housing."

According to the National Fair Housing Alliance (NHFA), every year there are more than 3.7 million fair housing violations.  Within months of Hurricane Katrina striking the Gulf Coast, NHFA conducted testing in five nearby states, where so many of the evacuees were trying to relocate, including Texas.  These tests concluded that African Americans and other evacuees were experiencing a 60 percent rate of discrimination

"I want to thank Chairman Frank for including in this bill a requirement that HUD reimburse each landlord who participated in the FEMA city lease program," Congressman Al Green said.  "This provision is a promise kept to cities like Houston cities that showed good will by housing Katrina evacuees based on the promises of the federal government."

"I am extremely excited that we were able to move this important piece of legislation through the committee. This will enable thousands of Americans affected by these hurricanes to begin rebuilding their cities and their lives,"  House Financial Services Housing Subcommittee Chairwoman Maxine Waters said. "The provisions will provide reimbursements for landlords and cities that opened their arms to evacuees, and will go a long way towards providing stability."

Under this provision of H.R. 1227, each landlord would receive the amount of documented damages they incurred as a result of FEMA's failure to live up to its commitments to reimburse communities for leases entered into under the Section 403 program.

"I also thank Housing Subcommittee Chairwoman Waters for holding field hearings in Louisiana and Mississippi such that we could get first-hand information on how we should proceed," Congressman Al Green said.  "We could not have successfully passed this important piece of legislation out of committee without her leadership."

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007, introduced by Financial Services Housing Subcommittee Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Committee Chairman Barney Frank, is the product of two days of field hearings in February and months of complaints from displaced New Orleans residents who allege that the government is impeding their return.