No one with a lick of good sense thought that putting Ben Carson in charge of the Department of Housing and Urban Development was a good idea. Aside from having absolutely no government experience, a history of saying some very questionable things that make you wonder about his education and overall comprehension skills and the fact that he seems perpetually unrested and can’t keep his eyes open, his only qualification seemed to be that at one point in time he had actually lived in public housing. We knew he was wildly unqualified for the job (as are all of Trump’s appointees) and weren’t hopeful but weren’t fully sure what HUD might look like under his direction. Now we are finally getting a glimpse and it isn’t pretty. The administration is looking to cut affordable housing and community development programs in cuts totaling $6 billion for fiscal year 2018.
The biggest cut would eliminate the $3 billion Community Development Block Grant program, a state and local entitlement that benefits low- and moderate-income communities. The grants support a range of economic development projects, including roads, sewers and housing.
The document also zeros out Choice Neighborhoods revitalization grants and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which leverages private funds to expand the supply of affordable housing.
Isn’t this exactly what you imagined when you pictured a Trump presidency? Cuts to programs that help poor and middle class communities? Because why would they need things like roads, water, sewage treatment or housing assistance. If they can’t afford these basic necessities, let them all rot—that’s the Republican way. And they aren’t done yet. They have plans to cut other programs, including one for veterans. What a way to thank them for their service, right?
Rental assistance to tenants would fall by $974 million, to $19.3 billion, with the elimination of a housing program for veterans and reduced spending on Section 8 and other voucher programs. Capital funding for public housing would fall by two-thirds.
Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, called the spending plan "immoral."
"The budget reflects a cruel indifference to the millions of low-income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and other vulnerable people who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads," Yentel said.
The budget is not only cruel and punishes poor people, it will impact the very people who voted for Trump and his awful friends. The voters who sent him to the White House claimed they did so because they thought he would bring economic prosperity to the country. Wait until they realize that he plans to eliminate programs that help them access affordable housing and waste removal. The very people who need the most help and have the most to lose did this to themselves. They were motivated by their racism above all—because let’s face it, they really thought he was going to stick it to all those black and brown folks they’re afraid are making America less “great.”
Cuts to HUD's safety net and development spending, combined with reductions at other agencies, will hit rural communities the hardest, [Matt Chase, the Executive Director of National Association of Counties said].
This is exactly what happens when you elect a bigot, racist, xenophobe, sexual assaulter, wannabe dictator and con artist. These folks got conned. And now he’s taking HUD, the whole government and all of us down with him.