Millennial Housing Commission

create file: Millinial Housing commission In Session Congress Commission Formed to Study Housing Issue By ERIC PIANIN True enough. But, as some have noted, it's not as if Washington Post Staff Writer the subject hasn't been studied before. There have been scores of studies by HUD, academia and low- ew issues are more important to working fam- income housing advocacy groups documenting the F ilies than the availability of affordable hous- problem and proposing detailed solutions. Now Con- ing. For many, housing drains far more cash gress is getting ready to spend $2 million to cover the than health care or taxes. same ground picked over by many before. Yet housing has received scant attention on the "The problem is well understood," said Ginger campaign trail this year. Even as the election draws Cruz, a spokeswoman for HUD Secretary Andrew M. near, housing gets little mention on the Gore and Bush Cuomo. "It is more important for Congress to focus campaign Web sites. the funding that will be used on this commission for "Both parties have been silent on an issue that af- developing housing throughout the country." fects every American," complains Rep. James T. Another danger is that the Millennial Housing Walsh (R-N.Y.), a senior House Appropriations Com- Commission may go the way of dozens of other "blue mittee member with jurisdiction over housing. "I see a ribbon" panels, spending time and money to produce a looming crisis. This should be part of the [political] thick study that either gathers dust or is deemed polit- discourse." ically impractical. Last week, Walsh, chairman of the veterans and housing ap- CAPITOL PRAYERS: There is propriations subcommittee, and more on the Hindu priest who Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (W. Va.), recently served as a guest chap- the ranking Democrat, took a lain in the House on the occa- step they hope will help boost sion of an address by the Indian the profile of the housing issue. prime minister to a joint session They announced the appoint- of Congress. ment of a Millennial Housing The Family Research Council, Commission to develop legisla- an influential conservative tive and regulatory recommen- group, complained the invitation dations for Congress to increase was another indication of the na- the availability of affordable tion drifting from its Judeo- housing and find ways to link Christian roots. housing development to job op- "Our founders expected that portunities, improved police protection and other ser- Christianity-and no other religion-would receive vices for the neediest Americans. support from the government as long as that support The 22-member panel, authorized by Congress last did not violate people's conscience and their right to year, will be headed by former representative Susan worship," the group said on its Web site. "They would Molinari, a New York Republican, and Richard Ra- have found utterly incredible the idea that all religions, vitch, chairman of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment including paganism, be treated with equal deference." Trust and the Corporation of Supportive Housing. The But the group removed the statement after it commission will conduct regional hearings over the caused a minor furor on Capitol Hill. Rep. Sherrod next 18 months as it develops its recommendations Brown (R-Ohio), who had extended the invitation to The commission is launching its work at a propi- the priest, complained that the group's statement tious time: Large numbers of Americans left behind by "reflects real bigotry." the economic expansion are finding the cost of decent A council spokeswoman said late last week that housing out of reach. The stock of affordable rental the statement hadn't been vetted properly by senior apartments for economically depressed families editors before it was posted. shrank by 5 percent, or 372,000 units, between 1991 The group issued a clarification: "We affirm the and 1997, according to a recent Department of Hous- truth of Christianity, but it is not our position that ing and Urban Development study. America's Constitution forbids representatives of re Housing vouchers, once touted as a way of moving ligions other than Christianity from praying before low-inc ome families into better neighborhoods, no Congress." longer are sufficient to keep up with soaring costs. Many middle-income families drawn to areas with THE WEEK AHEAD: The Senate will consider the wa- high-tech industry are finding housing costs there pro- ter resources bill and legislation to increase visas for hibitively high. high-tech workers. The House will take up an Interi- Molinari said that finding ways to close the growing or spending conference report. Meanwhile, law- housing gap is "one of the most critical tasks facing makers and the White House continue negotiations America." over other spending measures. The Washington Post MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 25. 2000