[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 214 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING

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                            HON. KWANZA HALL

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 17, 2020

  Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the importance 
of housing.
  Housing is a basic human necessity.
  Across our country, housing affordability is among the most difficult 
challenges facing cities today.
  The metropolitan Atlanta region is no exception.
  In 2017, Atlanta was the third fastest growing metropolitan region in 
the U.S.
  If we want to fulfill our most basic promise on achieving the 
American Dream, then we must make affordable housing opportunities a 
reality.
  A rule of personal bookkeeping is that you should spend no more than 
30 percent of your income on housing.
  But in many places, that cost is too high.
  For many still, who cannot these rates, we must make public housing 
more affordable.
  In Atlanta, we have a tremendous opportunity to expedite the 
redevelopment of vacant public housing sites including: Bowen Homes, 
Bankhead Court, Hollywood court, Harris Homes, Thomasville, and 
Jonesboro North and South.
  All of these sites have the potential to not only incorporate 
affordable housing, but the addition of grocery stores in food 
desserts; healthcare facilities, improved access to public 
transportation; job and commercial centers, quality schools and parks 
and greenspace.
  We have seen this model created in other development projects 
including the Bedford Pines transformation into City Lights, Eastlake, 
Centennial Place and the newly renovated Wheat Street Towers.
  The activation of these vacant sites could create thousands of units 
of affordable housing--ensuring that one's zip code does not determine 
their economic mobility.

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