[ Reply ]
From: Ed Gramlich
email: mailto:gramliche@commchange.org
link: http://www.communitychange.org
date: April 2, 2001
Date: 4/2/01
Time: 10:42:28 AM
Remote Name: 216.135.217.149
SAMPLE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR H.R. 1191
The Honorable ___name of your Representative_____ United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
___Date___
Dear Representative ___________:
The______(organization)_______ represent the interests of low income people _______(regarding) in __(geography)_____. We fully support and endorse the bill you introduced, H.R. 1191, the "Community Development Block Grant Renewal Act".
The (organization) is especially heartened by the bill's intent to restore the spirit of the original Act, to "principally" benefit lower income people, by better focusing CDBG funds on the extraordinary needs of low income people. Far too much CDBG is used to substitute for normal municipal and county functions, while low income people experience an increasingly dire shortage of affordable housing and affordable services such as day care and transportation to work. While many jurisdictions might be complying with the letter of the law, we know that people with the greatest needs, low income and extremely low income people, are not benefiting from CDBG activities commensurate with severity of their needs.
Adding the "second tier of targeting" (40% of CDBG to directly benefit low income people), and eliminating "benefit inflation" (by introducing "proportionate treatment") will go a long way to channeling more of this scarce resource to the critical housing and community development needs of very low income people.
In addition, the bill will reduce barriers to nonprofits' access to CDBG money so that they can promote and provide genuine public participation, and foster greater accountability to the public.
Sincerely,
CC: Rep. Marge Roukema (2469 Rayburn House Office Building) Rep. Barney Frank (2252 Rayburn House Office Building) Rep. Carrie Meek (2433 Rayburn House Office Building)