By Eugene T. Lowe
October 7, 2002

Testifying before the Housing and Transportation Subcommittee of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Conference President Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino asserted: "We need a national housing agenda and we need it now." The hearing on producing affordable housing for working families was held on September 25, the eve of Lobby Day. In reference to the events of the next day, Menino said: "This evening, Mayors from every state in the union will be arriving in Washington to make their case to Congressional leaders. And one issue that will be at the top of everyone's agenda is the need for affordable housing."

Mayor Menino spoke of "working families falling through the cracks" and the important fact found in a recent National Low Income Housing Coalition report that "there is no jurisdiction in the U.S. where a minimum wage job provides enough income for a household to afford a two-bedroom apartment." Citing his city as an example and "indicative of the situation in communities throughout the country", the mayor said: "In Boston, the average 2-bedroom apartment costs $1,600 a month. To afford that, you need to earn at least $64,000 per year. If you are working a job that pays the Federal minimum wage, that means you have to work 72 hours per week — and use 100 percent of your earnings to pay the rent."

The mayor described the crisis from the point of view of teachers, secretaries, police officers, restaurant workers, as well as the homelessness, which, he said had doubled over the past decade. People, he said must wait an average of 21 months for emergency housing. "The Boston Housing Authority has over 15,000 families on its waiting list for public housing", Mayor Menino added.

To establish a national housing agenda and to invest in housing would be "the perfect medicine for a sluggish economy", Menino said. Producing more housing "puts people to work, builds stronger communities and strengthens families", the mayor said. Quoting a National Housing Coalition report, the mayor said that by 2010 "an additional 11 million housing units would be needed."

Some of the initiatives in a national housing policy would include: a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund; a new national homeownership tax credit for working families earning $40,000 or less; a tax credit for the development of homeownership housing; and, working with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to expand employer-assisted housing program.

Senator Jack Reed (RI) chairs the Housing Subcommittee and Senator Paul Sarbanes (MD) chairs the Banking Committee. Both Senators commended Mayor Menino for making housing the top priority during his year as President of the Conference of Mayors.