Significant National Housing Acts
Housing Act of 1937 - The Housing Act
of 1937 is responsible for the birth of federal housing program
initiatives. The Act was originally intended to provide financial
assistance to states and cities for public works projects, slum
clearing and the development of affordable housing for low income
residents.
Housing Act of 1949 - The Housing Act
of 1949 established a national policy of a "decent home and suitable
living environment for every American Family."
Housing Act of 1965 - The Housing Act
of 1965 established federal assistance, that was administered through
local public agencies, to provide rehabilitation grants for home
repairs and rehabilitation. The Housing Act of 1965 also created
the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).
Housing Act of 1969 - The Housing Act
of 1969 placed a cap of 25 percent of income on rents to be charged
in public housing. This is one of three "Brooke Amendments." In
1970, legislation revised the deductions from income for computing
rents and legislation. In 1971, rents were "capped" at
25 percent of income of residents receiving public assistance. The
Housing Act of 1969 established operating subsidies for public housing
program for the first time. Before this act public housing was a
self-sustaining program.
Housing & Community Development Act of 1974
- The Housing & Community Development Act of 1974 provided a formula
for allocation of funds to eligible communities and created a new
federally assisted housing program called the "Section 8" program.
The Section 8 program enabled federal housing rental assistance
payments to be paid directly to owners of private housing units
as subsidy assistance to lower income families.
The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) -
QHWRA is landmark legislation which will make public housing reform a reality by:
- Reducing the concentration of poverty in public housing
- Protecting access to housing assistance for the poorest families
- Supporting families making the transition from welfare to work
- Raising performance standards for public housing agencies, and rewarding high performance
- Transforming the public housing stock through new policies and procedures for demolition and replacement and mixed-finance projects, and through authorizing the HOPE VI revitalization program
- Merging and reforming the Section 8 certificate and voucher programs, and allowing public housing agencies to implement a Section 8 homeownership program
- Supporting HUD management reform efficiencies through deregulation and streamlining and program consolidation
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