April 7, 1999

Statement by HUD Deputy Secretary Saul Ramirez 

“I’m here to commend the Doc4Kids Project and Housing America for their important report.

In particular, I’d like to thank Randy Shaw for his outstanding work and advocacy on these critical issues. Your report, built in large part on a series of previous HUD reports on the nation’s housing crisis, draws an important nexus between the lack of available affordable housing and the well-being of our children.

It is my hope that today will mark the beginning of a long partnership between HUD and your efforts.

I will read a statement from Secretary Andrew Cuomo in a minute, but first I just want to make some key points:

• HUD is working hard to increase the supply of affordable housing and eliminate dangers in homes that threaten the health and safety of America’s children.
• Our proposed $28 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2000 calls for a number of initiatives to accomplish this goal.
• We want to create 100,000 new rental assistance vouchers to provide safe and affordable housing for families in need.
• We want to expand the HOME Program to stimulate the creation of 84,000 affordable housing units.
• Our budget calls for the replacement of severely deteriorated and unsafe public housing under the HOPE VI Program.
• And we are moving forward on our grants for lead hazard control and on our Healthy Homes Initiative. These initiatives are designed to reduce childhood diseases and injuries caused by substandard housing.

As a parent, I know that every parent’s top priority is the health of his or her child. HUD wants to do all we can to achieve this goal.

And now I’d like to read a statement from Secretary Cuomo, who regrets he was unable to be here today.”