Proposed HUD Rule Could Displace 55,000 U.S. Legal Resident and Citizen Children
NEW YORK, NY – The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a new rule today that would prohibit mixed status families from using federal housing benefits, including Section 8 programs and public housing. Thousands of immigrant children who are legally eligible for housing benefits would face eviction and potential homelessness.
In response, Claudia Calhoon, Senior Director of Immigrant Integration Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition, said:
"Trump's new rule is another aggressive and cruel attempt to attack immigrant families. The proposed HUD rule will force immigrant families out of their homes and into potential homelessness, creating instability and insecurity for the whole family. Without stable housing, immigrant New Yorkers will face yet another barrier to providing for their families and contributing to their communities. By stripping this basic need from families, it’s clear this administration is intent on using every avenue to stigmatize and destabilize immigrant communities. We have the next 60 days to mobilize and submit public comments to stop this inhumane measure from moving forward.”
Background
Currently, immigrants in mixed status families can receive prorated federal housing benefits. The proposed rule would require all members of a household to have an eligible immigration status or citizenship in order to live in public housing or receive housing vouchers. Families that include people without eligible statuses will be evicted. In the context of New York’s affordable housing crisis, the rule only adds to the emergent need to house poor families.
Contrary to proponents’ claims, the rule is not anticipated to have an impact on the already extraordinarily long waitlists for public housing. Nationally, there are over 1 million people on a public housing waitlist and almost 3 million people on a Section 8 waitlist. HUD estimates the rule would evict 32,000 households, which hardly address the lengthy waitlists.
The proposed rule is posted in the Federal Register and has a comment period of 60 days. The public can submit comments about the proposed rule change here.
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