[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 52 (Thursday, May 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S4045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SMALL PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. President, I rise to speak on legislation I 
introduced yesterday, the Small Public Housing Authorities Paperwork 
Reduction Act. This legislation is an important step toward alleviating 
some of the burden placed on our Nation's smallest public housing 
authorities. PHAs play an important role in meeting the housing needs 
of the Nation's low-income individuals, families, seniors, and the 
disabled. Unfortunately, they face a challenge when balancing the 
housing needs of those they serve with the, oftentimes, consuming and 
duplicative reporting requirements placed upon them. The legislation I 
am introducing today seeks to address just one annual report that will 
free up a significant amount of time and resources, allowing housing 
authorities to focus more attention on the individuals they serve.
  Specifically, this legislation would exempt PHAs with 500 or fewer 
public housing units and any number of section 8 vouchers from the 
requirement of submitting an annual plan to the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development. The 1992 Public Housing Reform Act required PHAs 
to submit separate 5-year and annual plans to HUD. The redundancy of 
the annual plan process creates an undue burden for small PHAs by 
requiring them to provide identical information to HUD every 12 months. 
For example, an annual plan outlines a PHA's goals, policies, 
eligibility guidelines, and other information that is unlikely to 
change from year to year. Under this bill, small PHAs would only be 
required to submit their 5-year plan--a more appropriate timeline for 
reevaluating their goals and policies--to better allow them to use 
scarce human and financial resources to directly serve the needs of 
their communities. Additionally, this bill would only exempt those PHAs 
that have demonstrated compliance with HUD regulations. PHAs that have 
been designated by HUD as troubled would not be exempted from the 
annual plan.
  It is also important to note that PHAs would still be required to 
conduct an annual meeting in which residents and community members are 
included in the planning and development of a housing authority's 
objectives and priorities. My legislation makes certain that residents 
have an opportunity to comment on any changes to the goals, objectives, 
and policies of the agency. Housing authorities are also required to 
notify tenants of any proposed changes at least 45 days before the 
public hearing occurs. The annual public meeting, in combination with 
State and local public meeting requirements, will continue to ensure 
that any changes made to a PHA's policies are well vetted, with 
particular attention paid to resident concerns.
  PHA directors in my State and across the country contend that this 
legislation is a significant step toward reducing the excessive 
paperwork and reporting requirements that burden their agencies. I 
agree, that by mitigating some of this burden, we will allow PHAs to 
focus more time and energy for their mission-driven service to their 
housing residents. Not all PHAs have the time, staff, or resources 
available to complete these annual plans. Some PHAs have had to hire 
outside consultants to complete the plans, a costly expense for these 
agencies. Given the fiscal constraints PHAs are facing, it is more 
important now than ever to give housing authorities the flexibility 
needed to work within these budget constraints. This legislation is one 
simple way Congress can assist in providing needed relief to PHAs.
  My colleague, Congressman Randy Neugebauer, has introduced similar 
legislation which passed in the House of Representatives on December 
13, 2005, by a vote of 387 to 2. The overwhelming support in the House 
for such an initiative makes very clear the need for this type of 
relief. I am hopeful my colleagues in the Senate will also see the 
value of providing paperwork reduction for those agencies that have 
demonstrated their ability to comply with current regulations.
  Finally, I am pleased to have the support of the New Hampshire 
Housing Finance Authority and local agencies across my State in this 
effort. New Hampshire's PHAs continue to do an exceptional job of 
providing for the housing needs of those who need it most. State and 
local housing agencies perform an invaluable community function by 
securing housing for families and individuals in need. I remain 
committed to working further with them throughout this legislative 
process and to reducing unnecessary federal regulatory burdens for 
housing.

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