Homelessness in the United States has become a “national emergency” requiring a bill to control imbalances in poverty levels, a concern that has made Philadelphia to join a coalition of at least six cities.
Jim Kenney, the ninety-ninth mayor of the City of Fraternal Love, is one of the political partners of Democrat Eric Garcetti and Representative Maxine Waters, who introduced before the National Congress a bill requesting $13 billion to work on the poverty situation.
The budget aims to develop social investments directed towards the construction of supportive housing, improve care services and create educational opportunities to move into the productive sphere for people who do not currently have opportunities.
The first civil authorities of cities like Los Angeles, Austin, Boston, Honolulu, Chicago and Sacramento are aligned with the Mayor of Philadelphia. They support Angelino Garcetti’s initiative to fight homelessness.
“Homelessness is a national emergency that requires federal action, and we need Congress to be part of the solution and supply resources that can bring housing, health care, and hope to Americans suffering on our streets,” said Los Angeles mayor.
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, after presenting her bill to Congress, highlighted the fact that in the “richest country in the world,” the problem of people living in the streets continues to grow.
“Today there are over half a million people experiencing homelessness nationwide, and nearly 160,000 of them are children. Nearly 38,000 are veterans, who we have failed to support after their service to our nation,” Waters said.
About this issue, Lori Lightfoot, mayor of Chicago, said she is ready “to make the critical investments needed to expand affordable housing, social services and job training to prevent homelessness, but we can’t do it alone.
Miguel Pulido, mayor of Santa Ana, California, said more than 72 percent of the city’s residents are Hispanic and Boston´s Mayor Martin Walsh, highlighted the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness among veterans and the “chronically homeless,” but stressed Bthat he needs the support of the federal government.
“But to truly end homelessness, we need to support the bill Representative Waters is proposing. This bill will allow for more investment in supportive housing and allow for the kinds of services that stabilize the most vulnerable among us,” Walsh said.
The law provides $13.27 billion over five years, including $5 billion for McKinney-Vento assistance scholarships, which are intended to provide 85,000 new permanent housing units to the homeless.
In addition, $2.5 billion are needed for a special initiative of the national subsidized housing program known as Section 8, which seeks to offer an additional 300,000 vouchers, giving preference to those who live on the streets or are at serious risk of becoming permanently homeless.
Another $1.05 billion a year, for five years, would be dedicated to the National Housing Trust Fund to generate 25,000 new housing units for “extremely low-income” households, with priority for the homeless.
According to a survey released in July, homeless in Los Angeles and its metropolitan area increased 12% from last year due to a shortage of affordable housing.
This survey counted 58,936 homeless compared to 52,765 in 2018. Hispanics represent 35%.
The problem is of such magnitude that councilmen from Los Angeles, Mike Bonin, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Paul Koretz and David Ryu presented this month a bill to sanction homeowners who keep them empty, “while tens of thousands of Angelenos are forced to live on the streets because of the high cost of housing.
“No bed in this city should be empty when people are being forced to sleep on pavement,” Bonin said while presenting his initiative before the Council.
Translated by: José Espinoza
Noticias Newswire
