Velazquez Bill Would Expand Job Opportunities in Public Housing, Low Income Communities

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) today introduced legislation aimed at fueling local economic growth through the use of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding. H.R. HR 3697, the "Section 3 Modernization and Improvement Act of 2015", would ensure that residents of public and HUD-assisted housing benefit from job opportunities created by federal housing funds.

"For our city to succeed, we must ensure all our neighbors have economic opportunity and that includes those who live in public housing," Velázquez said. "This legislation will ensure federal funding that is used on housing projects creates jobs for residents of those developments and other low income New Yorkers."

Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, titled "Economic Opportunities for Low and Very Low Income Persons," requires recipients of HUD housing and community development funding to provide "to the greatest extent feasible" job training, employment, and contracting opportunities for low and very low income residents and eligible businesses. Unfortunately, Section 3 has been inadequately enforced and never reached its full potential. Velázquez's bill would give HUD and the U.S. Congress tools they need to enforce and oversee Section 3, expanding job opportunities for residents of public and assisted housing.

Under her legislation, recipients of HUD funding would be held accountable should they fail to fully abide by Section 3 and spend federal resources in a manner that creates jobs and economic opportunity for low and very low income residents. HUD would need to report to Congress regularly on Section 3 compliance and provide specific steps for remedying situations where funding recipients have not met their Section 3 obligations.

"Federal housing funding is one of our most powerful tools for creating economic opportunity in traditionally underserved communities," Velázquez said. "We must ensure that we fully leverage these resources to maximize job creation for families living in New York public housing developments."

Velázquez's bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. The Congresswoman serves as the third most ranking Democrat on that panel and the second most senior Democrat on the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee.

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