WHEREAS:

The Bush administration's 2005 budget would cut Section 8 housing vouchers by more than $1 billion below the 2004 funding level and further in later years; and

WHEREAS:

The budget would make radical changes to the program's structure, replacing the voucher program with block grants which are deceptively called "flexible vouchers;" and

WHEREAS:

The budget proposal could cut the number of families assisted by Section 8 by 250,000 in 2005, growing to 600,000 by 2009 or 30 percent of all assisted families; and

WHEREAS:

The housing voucher program is the nation's principal low income housing assistance program and currently assists two million low-income households, most of them low-income working families, elderly people and people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS:

Changing the program to block grants would repeal basic protections for low income families.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME oppose the president's effort to cut the Section 8 voucher program and actively urge Congress to do the same; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME oppose the proposal to change the voucher program to a block grant program.

SUBMITTED BY:

Sylvena Parker, President
Kimberly Andrews, Secretary
AFSCME Local 143, Council 36
California