Summary: GAO presented a transcript of the proceedings of a conference discussing: (1) low-income housing availability and affordability; (2) the growing homelessness problem; (3) home ownership assistance needs; and (4) the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) management of housing programs.
GAO noted that conference speakers and panelists, representing Congress, HUD officials, and housing experts and consultants, raised issues involving: (1) the decreased availability of and increased demand for affordable low-income housing; (2) the federal role in large-scale production and modernization of public housing; (3) tenant-manager programs; (4) racially segregated public housing; (5) federal reinforcement of state and local efforts to deal with homelessness; (6) coordination of services related to welfare and housing issues; (7) the effectiveness of the Homeless Assistance Act; (8) insufficient funding for helping the homeless; (9) transitional housing; (10) stability of the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance fund; and (11) federal programs' effectiveness in assisting potential home owners.
