Washington, D.C. – Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) today sent letters to the incoming Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Julian Castro and HUD Inspector General David Montoya regarding oversight of a new supervoucher program at the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). According to a report released over the weekend by Crain’s Chicago Business, some families are receiving taxpayer-funded CHA ‘supervouchers’ to rent in the city’s priciest, most exclusive high-rise communities, some of which include concierge and dog-grooming services.
“The rapid growth of Chicago’s supervoucher program – both in the number of recipients and the dollar amount of monthly payments – warrants a comprehensive audit,” Schock wrote to HUD. “As Congress seeks to meet the needs of our nation’s poor amid tightened budget constraints, it is dispiriting to know that HUD and CHA willingly award to a single voucher recipient living in a high-rise Chicago condominium enough rent assistance to help three whole families living in poverty somewhere else in the city.”
In his letter to HUD Secretary Castro, Schock requested the following:
All documents and communications between CHA and HUD concerning exception payment standards between January 20, 2009 and July 25, 2014.
All documents and communications between HUD and the White House concerning CHA’s exception payment standards between January 20, 2009 and July 25, 2014.
All documents and communications between HUD and Chicago officials, including Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, concerning CHA’s exception payment standards between May 16, 2011 and July 25, 2014.
All documents and communications between HUD and Illinois state officials, including Governor Pat Quinn, concerning CHA’s exception payment standards, between January 20, 2009 and July 25, 2014.
A full and complete listing of names and addresses of supervoucher recipients.
In a separate letter to the HUD Inspector General, Schock requested an investigation into the CHA voucher program, including the procedures used to select and screen supervoucher recipients, as well as HUD oversight of the supervoucher program.
The letters follow on the heels of an amendment Schock offered to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies (THUD) appropriations bill on June 10, 2014 which would prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to pay Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) in excess of 120 percent of the local FMR by any housing authority.
Click here to learn more about Schock’s THUD amendment to the housing choice voucher program.
Click here to watch Schock address the issue of Chicago’s supervoucher program on the House Floor during debate for the HUD appropriations bill.
Click here to read the Crain’s Chicago Business report on the Chicago Housing Authority’s supervoucher program.
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All official press releases from Former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL)
