PRINTER'S NO. 4130
No. 560 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY PIPPY, PETRONE, CAPPABIANCA, ROSS, PESCI,
HENNESSEY, COLAFELLA, MELIO, HORSEY, WILT, TIGUE, GEIST,
HARHAI, DeLUCA, L. I. COHEN, SEYFERT AND GIGLIOTTI,
NOVEMBER 17, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, NOVEMBER 17, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President and the Congress of the United
2 States to require the United States Department of Housing and
3 Urban Development to work with local governments to seek more
4 affordable housing and other services.
5 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United
6 States affirm that all citizens should enjoy decent and
7 affordable housing; and
8 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United
9 States should promote the goal of providing decent and
10 affordable housing for all citizens through the efforts and
11 encouragement of Federal, State and local governments and by the
12 independent and collective actions of private citizens,
13 organizations and the private sector; and
14 WHEREAS, The United States Department of Housing and Urban
15 Development was created to accomplish this goal through the use
16 of Federal resources and programs to aid families and
17 individuals seeking affordable homes that are safe, clean and
18 healthy and, in particular, assist responsible, deserving
1 citizens who cannot provide fully for themselves because of
2 circumstances or factors beyond their control; and
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acknowledges that
4 housing is a fundamental and necessary component of bringing
5 true opportunity to people and communities in need, but
6 providing physical structures to low-income families will not by
7 itself remove generations from poverty; and
8 WHEREAS, In determining future locations for federally
9 assisted public housing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the
10 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development needs
11 to look not only at the housing opportunities available in
12 targeted communities, but also at the availability and
13 accessibility of basic fundamental services and programs in that
14 community; and
15 WHEREAS, In determining future locations for federally
16 assisted public housing in the Commonwealth, the United States
17 Department of Housing and Urban Development should work in
18 collaboration with state and local governments, with input and
19 guidance from the independent and collective actions of private
20 citizens, organizations and the private sector; and
21 WHEREAS, Government at every level is answerable to the
22 people; when public money is used, public accountability
23 naturally follows and responsible government and its agencies
24 cannot remove citizens from the due process that protects their
25 basic freedoms; and
26 WHEREAS, Communication between government and the people is
27 one of the pillars of our democracy, and when this communication
28 dissolves, misunderstanding, mistrust and frustration are
29 conceived; and
30 WHEREAS, Essential toward instituting liberty and justice,
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1 government must make every effort to establish an impartial
2 framework for citizens and government to participate in
3 meaningful dialogue and respect this framework at all times and
4 in all circumstances to achieve solutions which reflect the
5 interests, priorities and rights of all involved parties;
6 therefore be it
7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
8 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President and the
9 Congress of the United States to require the United States
10 Department of Housing and Urban Development to work in
11 cooperation with state and local governments in seeking
12 affordable housing opportunities available in communities,
13 require full disclosure and cooperation which includes community
14 participation and establish that basic services to sufficiently
15 meet the needs of the people are readily available prior to the
16 placement of publicly assisted housing in a community; and be it
17 further
18 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
19 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
20 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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