untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This communication by the National Black Chamber of Commerce is relevant in regards to Greenview Manor and other public housing.
Enforcing Section 3 of the HUD Act
It has been 41 years since the implementation of Section 3 of the HUD Act. For the next 15 months (through the end of 2010) we are going to make enforcement of this job and business creator a reality. We, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, are going to do all the heavy lifting necessary to make it happen. When it does become a reality there will be an additional 100,000 jobs within the African American community on an annual basis. There should also be an additional $2 billion in business contracts for our firms.
After the Watts Riot in 1965, Section 3 was created and enacted by 1968. It was later strengthened as a result of the Rodney King Riot. The law states that for new jobs created through HUD funding 30% of them should go to people living in public housing or under the poverty level. Businesses that hire such Section 3 residents will be given the distinction of Section 3 business and 10% of all HUD funded contracts will be set aside for them. This is a beautifully written piece of legislation. The only problem is HUD has never enforced it. Somebody has to make them, so it might as well be us.
We are going to have to engage cities, counties, governors and housing authorities all of whom receive constant HUD monies to do the right thing. The alternative is to lose their funding or at least have it frozen. This has never happened despite the fact that over 90% of them do not comply with Section 3. We are going to make that change. With us in this fight is the US Chamber of Commerce. We have their “muscle” and staff to assist us whenever we need it. This will be a big difference in our fight as they were laughing at us before but now they see that we are serious and can do something about it.
Our neighborhoods will become blessed with jobs and business opportunity at long last. It is long overdue. We will soon change housing authorities from gang incubators to job creators. They will soon stop the killing and start business development. The following is our “kick off” letter to HUD Secretary Sean Donovan.
Dear Secretary Donovan:
The National Black Chamber of Commerce has resolved to bring recipients of HUD funding into compliance with Section 3 of the HUD Act (24 CFR Part 135). Of course, this is a very aggressive goal as the Department of HUD itself does not enforce Section 3 as it should. Nearly 90% of all recipients don’t even bother to submit their required annual Section 3 reports. They do this without fear of any recourse from your department. This is a sad commentary for those living under the poverty level and are seeking employment opportunities; also, for small businesses who would hire such people if the opportunity would present itself. We estimate that 100,000 possible job opportunities are missed annually by African Americans alone because of HUD’s failure to enforce Section 3.
Even the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development during your tenure was not compliant with Section 3. We are going to organize tenants, community activists, locally elected officials to begin demanding Section 3 compliance from coast to coast and border to border. It would indeed be helpful if our federal government would support this effort and begin honoring its own obligation – enforce present law.
We have been following the City of Jacksonville complaint filed by Alfair Construction. The original complaint was filed in 1993. It is now 2009 and still the City of Jacksonville refuses to comply with Section 3. There are neighborhoods in Jacksonville where Blacks have unemployment rates as high as 50%. HUD appears to be inept at this matter. This brings two very important questions: Has HUD ever enforced Section 3 upon a HUD grantee via sanctions, fines or withholding of funds? Through its own direct efforts has HUD ever made a noncompliant recipient become compliant? It would be interesting to find out if after 41 years (1968) this very important tool has ever been adequately put to use.
Now is the time for strong leadership and direct action. Talk is cheap and it is also damaging to the American economy. My people, African Americans, are suffering unemployment at levels never before realized. Abuses such as noncompliance with Section 3 contribute to this dire state of affairs. It would be so nice if HUD along with the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Labor would step up and take a role in the enforcement of Section 3 of the HUD Act. There are millions of people depending on your leadership and courage.
Sincerely,
Harry C. Alford
President/CEO
Cc: Honorables Ed Towns, Darrell Issa, Nydia Velazquez, Sam Graves
Mr. Alford is the Co-founder and President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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