Catholic Charities' executive director speaks out on Capitol Hill against housing cuts
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Marlene Laó-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, met with members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation July 26 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Washington’s Capitol Hill. Joining her in the effort to restore funding for housing programs were more than 450 advocates, many of them clients of Catholic Charities.
Laó-Collins noted, “The need for affordable housing in New Jersey is immense. We are the sixth most expensive state for home rental; in order to afford a modest two-bedroom home, a family must earn an hourly wage of $27.31, far more than the state’s average hourly wage of $17.86 or the $8.44 minimum wage.”
In a conversation with state congressional representatives, Laó-Collins said, “Despite the growing need, three out of every four families in need of housing assistance are turned away due to a lack of funding. Therefore, we need more, not less investment in affordable housing. President Trump’s budget proposes to further slash investments in affordable housing by $7.4 billion, or 15 percent. This move could increase homelessness and housing poverty in our community.”
To illustrate how housing assistance has impacted the poor, Catholic Charities client Sean Duffy addressed the delegation. The 41-year-old Trenton resident is a constituent of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12.)
Though he gave up drinking alcohol in 2006, Duffy found himself homeless. In December, 2016, with the assistance of CCDOT, he moved into his own apartment. He pays his rent with assistance from a Section 8 housing voucher and is awaiting his case for Social Security insurance to be processed.
“I picked myself up by my boot straps,” Duffy said. “I still needed some help and the housing voucher is what got me off the street. Please keep funding for these programs.”
Duffy added that he was inspired by the stories of others whose lives have been rebuilt through housing.
Reflecting upon her visit to the Hill, Laó-Collins said, “I was so proud to be there with my fellow advocates, talking with our representatives about why they need to oppose housing cuts. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet with Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.”
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Marlene Laó-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, met with members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation July 26 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Washington’s Capitol Hill. Joining her in the effort to restore funding for housing programs were more than 450 advocates, many of them clients of Catholic Charities.
Laó-Collins noted, “The need for affordable housing in New Jersey is immense. We are the sixth most expensive state for home rental; in order to afford a modest two-bedroom home, a family must earn an hourly wage of $27.31, far more than the state’s average hourly wage of $17.86 or the $8.44 minimum wage.”
In a conversation with state congressional representatives, Laó-Collins said, “Despite the growing need, three out of every four families in need of housing assistance are turned away due to a lack of funding. Therefore, we need more, not less investment in affordable housing. President Trump’s budget proposes to further slash investments in affordable housing by $7.4 billion, or 15 percent. This move could increase homelessness and housing poverty in our community.”
To illustrate how housing assistance has impacted the poor, Catholic Charities client Sean Duffy addressed the delegation. The 41-year-old Trenton resident is a constituent of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12.)
Though he gave up drinking alcohol in 2006, Duffy found himself homeless. In December, 2016, with the assistance of CCDOT, he moved into his own apartment. He pays his rent with assistance from a Section 8 housing voucher and is awaiting his case for Social Security insurance to be processed.
“I picked myself up by my boot straps,” Duffy said. “I still needed some help and the housing voucher is what got me off the street. Please keep funding for these programs.”
Duffy added that he was inspired by the stories of others whose lives have been rebuilt through housing.
Reflecting upon her visit to the Hill, Laó-Collins said, “I was so proud to be there with my fellow advocates, talking with our representatives about why they need to oppose housing cuts. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet with Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.”
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