Florida Democrats Call On Carson to Abandon Proposal to Cut Housing Benefits

Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) led Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation in sending a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, urging the administration to abandon its proposal to cut housing benefits – through rent increases, rigid work requirements, and de facto time limits – for millions of the lowest income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and other individuals. The letter was signed by Florida Representatives Kathy Castor, Alcee Hastings, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ted Deutch, Frederica Wilson, Lois Frankel, Val Demings, Al Lawson, Stephanie Murphy, and Darren Soto.

In the letter, the Congressmembers criticize the HUD proposal as unfairly targeting single mothers by eliminating deductions for dependents and childcare expenses. Moreover, the policymakers argue that “asking Congress to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable is unconscionable,” especially after providing massive tax breaks to the top one percent of Americans.

NLIHC president and CEO Diane Yentel is featured in a press release issued by Congressman Crist. “Secretary Carson’s attempts to raise rents on the lowest income people are part of this administration’s larger assault on the entire social safety net,” Ms. Yentel states. “Proposals to take away from struggling families their already limited benefits for housing, healthcare and food in the name of savings to the federal government – just months after giving massive tax cuts to wealthy people and corporations – is the height of cruel hypocrisy.”

Read the press release and Florida delegation letter at: https://bit.ly/2HAlmxO