Date: 2011-03-16
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of my amendment. My amendment would state simply that the Congress acknowledges that we could have helped to rebuild neighborhoods where foreclosures are common through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. or as we know it. NSP. You see. my Republican colleagues are offering today a bill that would terminate NSP. This program. I believe. has been particularly successful in helping to rebuild neighborhoods in my district and throughout Orange County. California. The city of Anaheim. which I represent. acquired and rehabilitated 17 singlefamily homes and sold them to low- to moderateincome families. It also acquired and rehabilitated a fourunit multifamily complex for lease to persons with developmental disabilities. This project was crucial because it is very difficult to find properties for people who have developmental disabilities. In Anaheim. one in 303 homes is in foreclosure. Not only does this have an emotional impact. as you can imagine. when you lose your homeit is the instability. especially for your kids. parents are worried. and children can see thatbut it also has economic impacts on our neighborhoods. With the help of this program. the city of Anaheim improved neighborhoods and provided the families with homes. And I know that my colleague on the Republican side also represents Anaheim. And if he would have spoken to some of the staff from Anaheim. he would have realized that they really believe that this program was important to keep blight from happening in neighborhoods and to attempt to keep the prices of the homes level for those families that were struggling to make their payments and to stay in their homes and to keep up their neighborhoods. The city of Garden Grove. where one in 348 homes is in foreclosure. also acquired and rehabilitated property. They acquired and rehabilitated five homes and sold them to firsttime home buyers. And. of course. the city of Santa Ana. where one in 252 homes is in foreclosure. they acquired and rehabilitated 13 singlefamily homes and 27 condos. and they sold them to firsttime home buyers. They acquired and renovated a 13unit multifamily complex and have leased them now to lowincome families. They assisted five families with down payment assistance. and they are also in the process of acquiring 16 singlefamily homes that will be sold to firsttime home buyers. Now. I know that my colleague on the other side mentioned that some of this money went to nongovernmental agencies. to private companies. but I would like him to really take a look at the fact that cities really stepped up to work very hard to keep families in their homes. to keep neighborhoods afloat as we work through this very difficult time of the financial meltdown and the housing crisis. In Orange County. the Neighborhood Housing Services. with the assistance of what we call NSP Round One moneys. acquired and rehabilitated a total of 11 singlefamily homes and condos. And with Round Two moneys. the Neighborhood Housing Services acquired and rehabilitated 17 singlefamily homes/condos and sold them to firsttime home buyers. This program has helped to rebuild our neighborhoods. to stabilize our neighborhoods. and have given families the opportunity to become homeowners. So it is my hope that my colleagues on the other side reconsider eliminating what I believe has been a successful program in Orange County. California. one that has benefited not just those who got to buy their first home but those neighborhoods and those cities that so desperately needed to keep up the neighborhood and get people in their homes. I reserve the balance of my time.