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- From: kberry@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Kim A. Berry)
- Newsgroups: ca.politics,talk.politics.misc
- Subject: Porkbarrel 1993: Housing & Redevelopment
- Message-ID: <1992Nov23.135916.16767@sactoh0.sac.ca.us>
- Date: 23 Nov 92 13:59:16 GMT
- Reply-To: kberry@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (Kim A. Berry)
- Distribution: usa
- Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix, Sacramento, Ca.
- Lines: 54
-
-
- *** NEWS RELEASE ***
-
- 300 Words
- Mr. Kim Berry
- Work: (916) 786-3900 x4964
- (24-hour voice mail)
-
- Pork Barrel 1993: Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
-
- In spite of the National Debt, budget deficits, school closures,
- and sheriff layoffs, the 1993 budget for the federally funded
- Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) is $214 million.
-
- Among the programs administered by SHRA's 300 employees is the
- Mortgage Certificate Program, which provides a 20% tax credit on
- mortgage interest payments for the life of the loan. For example,
- a loan with a monthly interest payment of $800 would be reduced by
- $2000 per year. Over the 30 year life of the loan this subsidy
- would cost taxpayers $60,000.
-
- Eligibility requirements consist of a maximum income of $43,000 for
- households of less than 3 persons, or $49,450 for households of 3
- or more persons. The new home cannot exceed $198,360, and, unless
- the home is located in a federally designated target area, the
- buyer must not have owned a principal residence in the last three
- years.
-
- Recipients are eligible for the program regardless of whether they
- need the subsidy to qualify for their mortgage.
-
- Sacramento County officials claim they are unable to provide basic
- shelter for the homeless. A mere 5% allocation of SHRA's budget
- could rent 1000 housing units at $800 per month. Alternately, 5%
- could fund construction of a homeless shelter that would rival the
- Hyatt Hotel.
-
- If these funds were used to create jobs rather than given away as
- entitlements, SHRA's budget could create over 7000 local jobs
- paying $30,000 per year.
-
- New home prices in Sacramento County have declined since 1990, and
- interest rates are at a 20 year low. Taxpayers may question the
- fairness of a program in which low income renters and families
- suffering economic hardships subsidize middle-class homeowners.
- Nationally these housing programs cost taxpayers tens of billions
- each year, and are a significant contributor to the National Debt.
-
- For more information, contact: Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment
- Agency, 488 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 440-1350.
-
- --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
- (Mr.) Kim Berry kberry@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US
-