Garrett Against Housing...Again

Considering Representative Scott Garrett sees the housing market as being in good shape; voted against Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae helping first time homeowners in our District; against programs to get rural families off of Section 8 housing; and against reforming Section 8 in general; this vote was not a surprise. Garrett was the only Representative from New Jersey to vote against establishing the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

As with the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae vote, Garrett's vote is a vote against North Jersey. The way the formula of funding is constructed largely favors North Jersey. Here's a couple of the criteria:

`(A) The ratio of the population of the State, Indian tribes, insular area, or participating jurisdiction, to the aggregate population of all States, Indian tribes, insular areas, and participating jurisdictions

Advantage: North Jersey

`(C) The percentage of families in the jurisdiction of the State, of Indian tribes, or of the insular area or participating jurisdiction that pay more than 50 percent of their annual income for housing costs.

Advantage: North Jersey - 21% of those living in North Jersey spend more than 50%.

(E) The cost of constructing or carrying out rehabilitation of housing in the jurisdiction of the State, of Indian tribes, or of the insular area or participating jurisdiction.

Advantage: North Jersey

`(G) The percentage of housing stock in the jurisdiction of the State, of Indian tribes, or of the insular area or participating jurisdiction that is extremely old housing.

Advantage: North Jersey

`(H) For the jurisdiction of a State, of Indian tribes, or of an insular area or participating jurisdiction that has an extremely low percentage of affordable rental housing, the extent to which the State, Indian tribes, or the insular area or participating jurisdiction has in the preceding fiscal year increased the percentage of rental housing within its jurisdiction that is affordable housing.

Advantage: North Jersey

It's safe to say this program, if enacted, will benefit our communities. As the Record, Star Ledger, and Express Times reported today, NJ is facing a severe population exodus issue and affordable housing is part of it. We're likely going to lose a Congressional seat in 2012. Considering the rest of our Delegation seems to vote on a bi-partisan basis when the welfare of our State is at stake, and Garrett doesn't, if he's still in office in 2012 he should be the leading candidate to lose his District.

***Update***

Monarch Housing Associates, who does consulting for NJ organizations like the one I used to work for in MI, noted the significance of the bill (and Garrett's vote), on their blog:

The National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007. H. R. 2895 would establish a Trust Fund to construct, rehabilitate, and preserve 1.5 million units of housing over the next 10 years. At least 75% of the new resources must produce or preserve housing affordable to extremely low income people. This would be the first new housing production program since 1990 and the only one focused on housing for households with the lowest incomes.