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Lutherans Lobby for Low-Income Housing Assistance


From NEWS <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>
Date 05 Jan 1999 16:56:44

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 5, 1999

LUTHERANS LOBBY FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING ASSISTANCE
99-01-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs
(LOGA), Washington, D.C., wants the housing needs of low-income citizens
to be a priority in the U.S. budget for 2000.  LOGA is the federal public
policy advocacy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
     "Many families trying to leave welfare find their low wages
inadequate to pay for decent housing," Kay A. Bengston, LOGA's assistant
director for public policy advocacy, wrote in Dec. 16 memos to President
Clinton and to Jacob J. Lew, director of the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget.
     "Our Lutheran congregations and agencies find requests for
assistance with housing to be almost as great as the requests for food
assistance," she wrote.
     Bengston asked the budget planners to ensure finances in the U.S.
Department for Housing and Urban Development for more Section 8
certificates and "additional funding to maintain public housing, address
homelessness and expand the Section 202 program for seniors."
     Section 8 is a rent-subsidy program for eligible low-income
families.  Section 202 uses funding advances to support private nonprofit
organizations and cooperatives which provide housing for the elderly.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html


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