The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), at the direction of Secretary Ben Carson, is reportedly squashing an illegal Section 8 housing scheme implemented by the Obama administration.
Under the program, grants were awarded to help landlords with rental assistance to those offering low-income housing. The mechanism of using a grant system was labeled “unreasonable and in disregard of applicable statutory guidance” by the Government Accountability Office in 2012 and later rebuked by the Supreme Court.
Now, under new leadership, HUD will revert to a previously utilized competitive bidding process. The move is being hailed by some for improving efficiency and saving taxpayer money.
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According to the Washington Examiner:
Supporters of the competitive bidding procurement process say the net result will increase efficiency in the program and save taxpayer money. And Republican lawmakers that have been critical of HUD’s actions in the past are applauding the change in course as well.
The move will no doubt launch liberals into an apoplectic fit, and Carson will be labeled a racist. He was pilloried by leftists when he said poverty could largely be considered a “state of mind” and that beneficiaries of public housing should not be provided too “comfortable [a] setting,” lest they become complacent.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) has long railed against the illegal HUD grant process.
When dealing with performance-based Section 8 contract administrators, it’s clear that full and open competition is the way to get the best value for the taxpayer. As Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, I have repeatedly insisted both publicly and privately that HUD follow Congressional intent, the GAO, and the Supreme Court.
Cross posted at the Mental Recession
