-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Kane <naht@...>
To: Ann Norton <anorton@...>; Cara Lingstuyl <cara@...>;
chopc@... <chopc@...>; Chip Halbach
<chalbach@...>; Cleo Busby <actcleve@...>; Linda Couch
<linda@...>; Craig Stephens <pahcwpa@...>; Dbandy2@...
<Dbandy2@...>; Denise Irwin <dirwin1@...>; mvut@...
<mvut@...>; jdd@... <jdd@...>; homecoal@...
<homecoal@...>; robeshelman@... <robeshelman@...>;
Geraldine Thomas <gthomas720@...>; HAC.co@... <HAC.co@...>;
HCMC@... <HCMC@...>; khenson456@...
<khenson456@...>; hhck@... <hhck@...>; Joan Baptist
<jbaptist@...>; Jeff Dycus <jdycus@...>; Jeff Terry
<jwterry@...>; Jim Grow <jgrow@...>; Joe Heaphy
<JHeaphy256@...>; Larry Gross <ces@...>; Laura Barrett
<hcf@...>; lta@... <lta@...>; Melanie Greene
<mjgreene@...>; mto@... <mto@...>; MPA@...
<MPA@...>; Nancy Zak <marycelest@...>; Siobhan Ring
<siobhan_stop@...>; SAMKEEPER@... <SAMKEEPER@...>; Sandy
Rollins <ttu@...>; Sharon Sherman <sharsher@...>; Wanda Hood
<watkinshood@...>; Warner, Charlie <charliew@...>;
Spencer Wells <ohiotenants@...>; Foley <Foley@...>; Mike
Foley <HN7096@...>; Susan Chase <SHChase@...>; Gloria
Sandiford <sandifor@...>; Tracy Suber <tracysuber@...>; mail
<mail@...>; mbonan <mbonan@...>; stjbpower <stjbpower@...>;
Ichjc <Ichjc@...>; Ichhrs <Ichhrs@...>; nmpief <nmpief@...>;
ssheerin <ssheerin@...>; otag_nclihousing
<otag_nclihousing@...>; k-forbes <k-forbes@...>; HNoo6
<HN0006@...>; dhc <dhc@...>; Jill Russ
<jiller66@...>; Keith French <keithhcf@...>; Catherine
Rhodes <homey@...>; hcci <hcci@...>; Jeff Terry
<hn3861@...>; Lee Bradley <leebr97@...>
Date: Friday, July 14, 2000 6:32 PM
Subject: [Fwd: Statement of Support- Sign on NOW for Pres. Matching Grant]


>Hello NAHTites--attached is an Organizational Sign On Letter in support
>of S. 2733. We urge all NAHT affiliates to sign on. Deadline is
>Monday. You can either respond to NAHT and we'll notify Linda Couch,
>or you can email Linda directly with your group's endorsement. (If you
>contact Linda directly, please cc: NAHT so we can keep track of who's on
>this letter. Thanks.)
>
>Also, we are planning to enlist NAHT affiliates in support of NAHT's own
>comments, to be filed next week with the Subcommittee. These will be
>more substantive, involving NAHT's entire position, as outlined in the
>two-page handout at the NAHT Conference. We will circulate an e-mail on
>this next Tuesday.
>

below and attached is the final Statement of Support for the preservation
matching grant. please send out to your networks ASAP. deadline for
signing on is monday at 6pm EST. thank you for all of your comments. -linda


**********
Sign On NOW to Statement of Support
for the Preservation Matching Grant and S. 2733

On Tuesday, July 18 the Senate Banking and Urban Affairs Committee will
hold a hearing on S. 2733, the Affordable Housing for Seniors and Families
Act. This bill was introduced by Senator Santorum (R-PA) in June and
includes the establishment of a preservation matching grant program. While
there are specific issues in the bill requiring further refinement, we
strongly support the creation of the preservation matching grant program.
The bill authorizes HUD to distribute funds, on a matching basis, to states
and localities that put forth their own funds toward preservation. This
Statement of Support will give the Senate Banking Committee a good sense of
the broad support for S. 2733 and the matching grant concept. We hope you
can sign on to this Statement of Support (below). Additional tools will be
available after the July 18 hearing to garner additional co-sponsors to S.
2733, and pursue any necessary revisions in the statutory language.

The deadline for signing on to this Statement of Support is by 6 pm EST,
Tuesday, July 17.

You can sign on by either emailing (linda@...) or faxing
(202/393-1973) the following information us.

Name:

Organization:

Address:

Phone / Fax / Email:

**Statement of Support**

The undersigned organizations support Title IV of S. 2733 that would
establish a preservation matching grant program.

Under this program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development would
distribute funds, on a matching basis, to states and localities that also
commit their own dollars, or other housing funds within their control, to
preserve HUD-assisted housing for low income families. The federal
preservation matching grant program would greatly leverage state- and
locally-dedicated funds toward preservation. Given the growing needs for
affordable housing throughout the United States and the recent lack of
federal capital funds to meet preservation needs of much of the stock, we
support this program to preserve existing housing affordable to low income
families. If appropriators provide sufficient resources, the preservation
matching grant program will give states and localities a new tool and a
strong incentive to take action to protect the hundreds of thousands of
families in HUD-assisted housing by preserving this vital housing stock.

Last year we supported similar legislation authorizing a preservation
matching grant program when it passed the U.S. House of Representatives by
405-5 in September 1999 (H.R. 202.)

We look forward to working with the Senate to further refine the
legislation, and to secure additional support from the Senate and in the
appropriations process.

[organizational signatories listed]