KHA Director meets with HUD Secretary

Fischer pitches rent reform to cabinet official

05/10/2004 - In a private meeting with the Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Steven A. Fischer, Executive Director of the Kingston Housing Authority and James A. Mirando, Director of the Elmira Housing Authority reviewed current public housing needs in New York State and opened a dialogue with the Secretary on federal housing issues as well.

Alphonso Jackson was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate as the 13th HUD Secretary in March and according to Fischer, is the first secretary in the history of HUD to actually have run a public housing authority. “Secretary Jackson has a very impressive background as a teacher, business leader and attorney” said Fischer, “but what pleases the housing authorities across the country is that he was one of us.” Jackson served as President and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, Texas, one of the best-managed, large-city housing agencies in the country during his tenure. Prior to that, Jackson ran the St. Louis and Washington DC housing authorities.

Fischer, who serves on the boards of both the national and state-wide Housing Authority Directors’ Associations, and Mirando, the President of the NYS Public Housing Authorities Directors Association were in Washington to represent the state on a number of issues of concern. We heard what the secretary had to say about HUD Section 8 program proposals and talked about the need to have After School Programs restored. Fischer said adequate funding for various programs, for capital improvements and for operating subsidies were also promoted.

“New York’s issues are also national issues,” said Fischer, an outspoken advocate for rent reform legislation and for mixed level community development. “It’s rare to be able to make your case directly to the Secretary and we were anxious to capitalize on that opportunity. Fischer pitched his public housing rent reform and simplification proposals which were enthusiastically endorsed by the Secretary. Secretary Jackson pledged the assistance of his Washington staff to further the proposals.

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