[SD Union Trib] The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has proposed a rule that would prohibit undocumented immigrants from living in Section 8 housing, but the head of the San Diego Housing Commission said the change could cost more money to implement and displace legal residents.The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has proposed a policy change intended to make legal U.S. residents first in line for subsidized housing, but the head of the San Diego Housing Commission said it could end up costing more money and displacing legal residents already housed.
HUD estimates more than 25,000 households that receive federal Section 8 housing vouchers include people not in the country legally, and revising its policy could create more affordable housing for legal residents.
Housing Commission President and CEO Rick Gentry said 325 families that receive Section 8 housing vouchers in San Diego have at least one family member who is an unauthorized immigrant. Under the proposed change, the unauthorized person would have to move out.
The horror!
Gentry said the change likely will result in all family members moving out rather than being separated, displacing legal residents. Of those households, 251 have children younger than 18, he said.
"I would say it's not a good idea because we are harming people who are citizens, and it would not save the taxpayers any money," he said.
The change could cost more, Gentry said, because the 325 households receive prorated vouchers rather than full vouchers. As an example, Gentry said a household of four with one unauthorized resident would receive a voucher reduced by 25 percent. If those people move out and are replaced by four legal residents, the household would receive a voucher valued at 100 percent, increasing the amount the Housing Commission pays for same unit.
The San Diego Housing Commission provides Section 8 vouchers to about 15,400 households in the city.
Sounds like Gentry needs to be replaced and the SDHC removed from distributing those funds