Article Abstract:
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been the center of an on-going scandal which has revealed wide-spread abuse at the federal agency. Statistics indicate that between 1981 and 1988 HUD's spending authority was reduced from $33.4 billion to approximately $15 billion annually. Many believe these circumstances developed because of the philosophy supported by the Reagan Administration which stipulated that private industry could manage government programs better than the federal bureaucracy. However, this system did not work because private industry's main focus is to make a profit, and as a result public housing (PH) suffered. PH officials also received negative attention, even though many of these officials are honest and dedicated. Continued efforts by honest practitioners will help the PH industry to survive.
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Article Abstract:
An overview of the crisis now affecting the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is presented. HUD is being investigated by Congress for, among other things, the widespread abuse of influence peddling. Because of questionable decisions in the department, political connections instead of the need for affordable dwellings in a particular location allegedly determined where HUD funds were distributed during much of the 1980s. Changes that have been instituted in response to the crisis include the formation of a Task Force by members of the Democratic Party with the goal of developing a total housing policy.
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Article Abstract:
The policies established by Jack F. Kemp for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cannot be carried out on the budget provided by the administration of Pres George Bush. Despite the proclamations made by the Bush administration that there would be major increases for low-income housing, the proposed 1991 budget for HUD exceeds the previous year by only $28 million. The administration has also rejected a Democratic proposal for a block grant type of funding for housing assistance.
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