Public Comment

City Council Continues to Give HUD a Pass in Public Housing Funding Issue

By Richmond Councilmember Tom Butt
Sunday April 06, 2014 - 09:58:00 AM

Despite growing evidence that lack of sufficient funding from HUD is the root cause of public housing deficiencies, the [Richmond] City Council continues to blame everyone else, including itself, for conditions at the Hacienda that require a $19 million capital infusion to bring the building up to acceptable standards. Not only that, but they are prepared to spend nearly a million dollars of general fund money to relocate tenants while giving HUD a complete pass if HUD doesn’t provided the money. HUD owns the public housing in Richmond and has a responsibility to provide adequate funding to maintain it, yet the City Council refuses to hold HUD accountable.