Report Released: “How Budget Cuts Made Us Sicker, Poorer and Less Safe”
Jeff Foreman, Policy Director
The Congressional Budget Conference Committee meets this
week in Washington. It’s important to think about how past and proposed “safety
net” budget cuts hurt vulnerable people, especially those experiencing
homelessness. This is the Committee with the goal, though frankly little
expectation, of crafting a “grand compromise” ending the sequestration/budget
battle, government shutdown threat and debt ceiling crisis.
Last week the nonpartisan NDD United (NDD stands for
Non-Defense Discretionary, as in the domestic spending half of sequestration
cuts that hurt people in our communities) released a report. They fittingly
called it “How Budget Cuts Have Made Us Sicker, Poorer and Less Safe.” Their
point was to put a face on the suffering and loses program cuts have caused to
real people.
It’s true. In New York City, for example, housing officials
had anticipated 5,000 new housing vouchers for families experiencing or at risk
of homelessness. After sequestration cuts the number of vouchers went from
5,000 to 0. Zero!
In fact, not only did 5,000 families with kids lose out on
affordable housing, officials have had to raise rents on many poor families
already getting vouchers. The program guaranteed a subsidy for the portion of
approved rent in approved apartments that exceeded 30% of the family’s gross
income. That 30% cap is based on the government definition of what’s
“affordable.”
Those cuts guarantee more homeless families and more homeless
kids in New York. They don’t actually save money over time because it costs far
more to house families in shelters than the full subsidies cost.
Some people don’t realize the 2013 sequestration cuts of 5%
to affected domestic spending was on top of big 2011 cuts. If nothing changes
there’ll be more automatic sequestration cuts this year, and for 8 more
budgets. Those cuts would devastate America’s promise to provide a safety net
for our most vulnerable neighbors – mostly kids, elderly and disabled neighbors.
It’ll slash or eliminate programs to provide health care,
educate kids, get mental health and addiction treatment to those who need it
($270 million in health center cuts – like the 30 clinics Care for the Homeless operates), keep
seniors with special needs in their own homes and provide decent housing for
families. The Congressional Budget Office reports just the cuts so far and the
automatic cuts this year will result in 900,000 jobs lost. Getting 900,000
Americans, including thousands in New York City, back to work would do more to
balance the federal budget than draconian domestic spending cuts that actually
create social problems.
That’s where you come in. It’s urgent you contact your
members of Congress to deliver a critical message. No more cuts in programs that deliver medical care
and mental health services to people who need it. Don’t decimate programs
providing housing to families. Stop cutting nutrition, job training and vital
programs for kids and the elderly.
These cuts are a false economy. They cost us more over time
but deliver only negative results. Not to mention the cuts are inhumane and
wrong.
The Congressional switchboard number is 202-234-3121. Please
call today!
