Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 117 - Senior Citizen's Housing Safety and Economic Belief Act of 1995

(House)
(Blute (R) MA and 30 cosponsors)

Managers of public and assisted housing are obligated to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to their tenants. To this end, they need to have and use the necessary tools to screen out applicants who pose a threat to the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment of other residents, and to evict residents who pose such problems. The Administration strongly supports efforts to strengthen the hands of managers seeking to reduce criminal and disruptive behavior that infringes upon the rights of housing residents. Subject to the concern cited below, the admissions, leasing, and evictions provisions of H.R. 117, although limited to only that part of the problem associated with abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol, are a step in the right direction.

H.R. 117, as amended, is helpful in another major way: it makes it easier to designate elderly-only housing. The Administration agrees that the current law governing designated housing is too administratively burdensome and procedurally' complex.

In addition, tough standards applied to elderly housing should be extended to all types of public and assisted housing — for example, tenants whose behavior threatens the health and safety of children should face the same eviction penalty as those who endanger the elderly.

The Administration, however, has concerns with certain aspects of the bill as reported and will work with the Senate to address these concerns.

The admissions, leasing, and evictions standards in the bill should be consistent with the antidiscrimination provisions of the- Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

In permitting public housing authorities to create disability-only housing, care should be taken that persons with disabilities are not over concentrated in housing which is not suited to their needs. To avoid this situation, disability-only housing should serve specialized needs of individuals with disabilities who choose this type of assistance.