[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 179 (Friday, December 4, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12414-S12415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KOHL (for himself and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 2836. A bill to improve the Operating Fund for public housing of 
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the Asset Management

[[Page S12415]]

Improvement Act of 2009, which I introduced with my colleague from 
Maine, Senator Olympia Snowe. This bill will help our public housing 
agencies deliver services to the families they serve more efficiently 
and effectively.
  Due to a 2005 rule published by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, all public housing agencies are required to convert to 
asset management. Much of the guidance issued by HUD is inflexible and 
applies a one size fits all approach to managing housing units. HUD has 
treated managing every public housing program the same, when in fact, 
the multiple programs serve very different populations and operate in 
extremely different ways. Additionally, the regulations imposed by HUD 
have caused PHAs to lose operating funds and left many short-staffed. 
Finally, the asset management rules issued by HUD are incomplete and 
unclear, leaving PHAs uncertain of funding levels for each year. While 
Congress has attempted to address some of these issues through HUD 
Appropriations legislation, permanent fixes are necessary to ensure 
better guidance to PHAs.
  The legislation that we introduced today will ease administrative 
burdens on many public housing agencies, particularly the small 
agencies, and ensure that they have the proper funding, guidance and 
support to implement the rule of asset management. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to move this important piece of legislation 
forward.

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