House of pain
NYCHA sees HUD’s proposed cuts hitting hard
ART PROGRAMS throughout the five boroughs are bracing for crippling cuts if President Trump goes through with his proposal to defund the National Endowment for the Arts, which provides city groups millions of dollars a year.
The agency gave $14.5 million to 419 city organizations in 2016, according to a study released Thursday by the city controller’s office.
Much of those funds supported cultural activities in poor neighborhoods outside Manhattan – like A PRELIMINARY Trump administration plan to whack $6 billion from federal housing programs sent shock waves through the nation’s largest public housing authority.
The Washington Post Thursday reported on a budget memo proposing drastic cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.
NYCHA relies heavily on HUD funds, with nearly 70% of its operating budget and almost 100% of its capital projects funded by the feds.
“We are concerned about these rumored cuts,” NYCHA Chairwoman Shola Olatoye (photo) said in response to the memo.“The loss of federal funds of this size would deeply impact ARTs East New York’s plan to turn vacant Brooklyn lots into a community space and arts hub.
“Without funding from the NEA, we don’t know if that project would have happened,” said Catherine Green, the group’s executive director.
Her group received a $100,000 grant in 2016 to go toward expanding the “[Re] New Lots” program, but Green fears that the project could disappear entirely if federal authorities ax the NEA . our ability to serve 600,000 New Yorkers who rely on NYCHA.”
The budget memo suggested cutting public housing operational subsidies nationwide by $600 million and capital funds by $1.3 billion.
NYCHA, which will present its budget to the City Council on Monday, was already predicting cuts of up to $153 million this year if Trump’s overall vow to cut 11% from all nonmilitary budgets goes through.
The Trump plan would completely eliminate HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program. The city budgeted $233 million in block grant funds this fiscal year for a long list programs. The city plans to spend the community development funds on everything from ramping up housing code enforcement to maintenance of tax-foreclosed properties. The money also funds an elderabuse prevention program and a neighborhood vacant-lot cleanup effort. of social service
In a memo to staff on Thursday following the budget plan leak, Ben Carson, who started his new job as HUD secretary Monday, assured staff that the numbers mentioned are just a starting point.
“This budget process is a lengthy, back-and-forth process that will continue,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that preliminary numbers were published, but please take some comfort in knowing that starting numbers are rarely final numbers.”
Carson, who has in the past criticized social service programs, promised, “Rest assured, we are working hard to support those programs that help so many Americans, focus on our core mission, and ensure that every tax dollar is spent wisely and effectively.”