Rep. Gosar Questions Housing Authority Corruption and AFFH Rule

Concerns Over Public Housing and Debt

• 💰 The national debt is over $36 trillion, with public housing contributing to the cost.
• ⏳ Section 8 housing lacks a time limit, allowing long-term participation while others wait.
• 🏠 The housing crisis stems from numerous regulatory challenges imposing costly standards on communities.

Critiques of the AFFH Rule

• 🏛️ Biden's HUD inflated welfare costs and reinstated Obama's Affirmative Further Fair Housing (AFFH) rule.
• 📊 The AFFH rule, introduced in 2015, dictated zoning requirements for communities seeking block grants.
• 💸 Compliance with AFH regulations cost an estimated $55 million annually, increasing taxes and reducing property values.
• 🚫 President Trump terminated the AFFH rule, and legislation is proposed to codify this termination.

Government Overreach and Community Values

• 🌍 The AFFH rule is seen as government overreach into areas where it's not needed.
• 🤝 Historically, communities thrived on the common good, mutual support, and neighborly assistance, not government dictates.
• 🏘️ The focus should be on returning to communities that support each other, rather than government-sponsored ones.

Addressing Corruption in Housing Authorities

• 🚨 In February 2024, 70 New York City Housing Authority employees were charged with accepting bribes for awarding contracts.
• 🧑‍⚖️ Public housing authorities administering HUD programs may be required to place tenants on their boards, a situation that varies by state.
• 💼 The first step to address abuse is to remove housing authorities from the management business.
• 🏢 Private companies are better equipped to manage buildings, and programs like RAD are moving towards private management.
• 📉 Housing authorities have a proven record of corruption and incompetence, with NYCHA under federal monitor due to conditions.

Transparency and Federal Funding

• 🔍 The Putting Trust in Transparency Act aims to require NGOs receiving federal funding to disclose extravagant donors.
• 🧐 This would allow Congress to see the books of NGOs housing illegal aliens at taxpayer expense.
• ⚖️ Entities receiving federal grants do have financial disclosure requirements, but the threshold is very high.