[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 71 (Wednesday, June 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL HOUSING 
                            CONFERENCE (NHC)

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2006

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today on the floor of the U.S. House of 
Representatives to recognize the 75th anniversary of the National 
Housing Conference (NHC), an organization with over 900 members 
dedicated to forwarding the cause of affordable housing and community 
development.
  Organized in 1931 by Mary Simkhovitch, a reformer and social worker, 
this pioneering advocacy group was the first non-partisan, independent 
coalition of its kind to include national housing leaders from both 
public and private sectors. NHC's early membership included an array of 
bankers, builders, civic leaders, realtors, organized labor, architects 
and residents from across the greater New York City region. Since its 
inception, the organization has worked to elevate public awareness on 
the plight of America's millions of working class families and its 
consequences on general welfare.
  Early on, NHC was committed to making a difference in low-income 
communities across the country. The organization was instrumental in 
garnering support for the passage of key legislation, including the 
Federal Home Loan Bank Act, and the National Housing Act of 1934 that 
created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). After President 
Roosevelt stressed in his second inaugural address of 1937 that ``one 
third of the nation is ill-fed, ill-clothed and ill-housed''--NHC 
sprang into action and mobilized national support to persuade Congress 
to pass the critical Housing Act of 1937.
  After moving its headquarters from New York City to Washington, DC in 
1945, NHC took on a new and tremendous challenge--``get rid of the 
slums, eliminate substandard housing.'' Working in conjunction with the 
labor movement to mobilize grassroots support, NHC's incredible efforts 
helped to secure the passage of the landmark Housing Act of 1949. This 
sweeping and ambitious housing legislation called for ``a decent home 
and a suitable living environment for every American family.''
  During the 1950s and 1960s, NHC continued to draw upon its early 
successes to advocate for the needs of America's hardworking families 
and individuals. NHC played a major role in the passage of the Housing 
and Urban Development Act of 1965 that established the Cabinet-level 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the 1968 Fair Housing 
Act that prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, color, or 
national origin.
  NHC's advocacy does not stop here. Over the past 35 years, the 
organization has never ceased to fight for a variety of legislative 
proposals to improve the landscape of the affordable housing industry. 
From Section 8 housing, to home ownership programs, and even low income 
tax credits--NHC continues to fight for the integrity of these 
programs, despite a constant battle for available federal resources.
  In honor of the organization's 75th anniversary, an incredible 
milestone, NHC has rededicated itself to a central mission: Fulfilling 
the Dream of the 1949 Housing Act--``a decent home and a suitable 
living environment for every American family.''
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of 
the National Housing Conference, and join with my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives to commend this organization for its 
outstanding service and dedication to making affordable housing a 
reality for the millions of working class American families across the 
country.

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