Congressman Dan Goldman and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez Introduce Legislation to Address Public Housing Repairs Nationwide
Public Housing Emergency Response Act Would Allocate $70 Billion in Funding for Public Housing Capital Repairs and Upgrades
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) today introduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act which would allocate $70 billion in funding for public housing capital repairs and upgrades throughout the country. $32 billion of the allotted aid would be expected to flow directly to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the nation’s largest Public Housing Authority (PHA).
“We have an obligation to ensure that public housing residents are living with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “The conditions that far too many tenants are forced to endure are simply unacceptable, and the first step to tackling this urgent crisis is to fund capital repairs and eliminate backlogs. This bill takes an important and meaningful step in the right direction, and I will continue to fight tirelessly for public housing tenants in New York and across the country. I am honored to partner in this effort with Congresswoman Velazquez, who has been a generational leader on these issues.”
Congresswoman Velázquez said: “The public housing system was created to serve as an affordable lifeline for working families across this country. However, many public housing units are in poor conditions contributing to a broad range of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, injuries, childhood development complications, nutrition issues, and mental health challenges. This situation demands bold action. The bill I am introducing today with Congressman Goldman would provide substantial funding for capital repairs and upgrades, taking a concrete step towards renewing our nation’s commitment to public housing residents.”
As damaged living conditions threaten the health and safety of public housing residents, this bill will increase the investment for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund to eliminate the capital repair backlog and improve overall living conditions for public housing residents. $32 billion of the allotted aid would be expected to flow directly to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the nation’s largest Public Housing Authority (PHA).
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said: “We have been clear since day one of this administration that NYCHA residents deserve the same quality of life as every New Yorker, but decades of federal disinvestment from public housing has made that nearly impossible. The Public Housing Emergency Response Act, with $32 billion for NYCHA, would reverse this disturbing pattern and – alongside our record investments in public housing and successful passage of the NYCHA Trust – would fund the critical repairs that NYCHA residents have been denied for too long. I applaud Rep. Velázquez and Rep. Goldman for introducing this bill in Congress and look forward to supporting their efforts to pass it.”
Nationwide, countless public housing buildings remain neglected, forcing many residents to live in accelerating substandard living conditions. Disinvestment in public housing has been linked to long-term health issues in inhabitants.
This bill is also cosponsored by Congressmembers Gregory Meeks, Ritchie Torres, Grace Meng, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Adriano Espaillat, Jerrold Nadler, Jamaal Bowman, and Yvette Clarke.
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