Congressman Higgins Asks HUD to Develop Funding Formula to Address Vacant Housing Problems in Older Communities Like Western New York             

In a letter to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Steven Preston, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) is calling upon the Department to ensure that the funding formula created for the distribution of emergency Community Development Block Grant funds provided in the recently approved American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act meets the unique needs of older cities and communities like those in Western New York.              

“I strongly urge you to consider the plight of older industrial cities and regions like Western New York,” Higgins said in his letter.  “While Western New York may not lead in terms of impact from the immediate foreclosure crisis as compared to other communities, the fact is that it faces its own vacant housing problem that is more chronic, systemic, and prolonged than in almost any other American Community.”              

The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act strengthens neighborhoods by providing Community Development Block Grant funds to states and localities to buy vacant homes at a discount and rehabilitate or redevelop the homes to stabilize neighborhoods.  Among other things, the legislation provides $4 billion for communities to rehabilitate or redevelop vacant property.               

Higgins noted that the City of Buffalo alone is home to approximately 20,000 vacant properties in some form of foreclosure or delinquency.  He goes on to stress the importance of a comprehensive rehabilitation and reuse program in addition to demolition dollars, particularly for structures with historical or architectural significance.              

Congressman Higgins, who serves as Co-chair of the Congressional Revitalizing Older Cities Task Force, is also the sponsor of the Neighborhood Reclamation & Revitalization Act of 2007, a bill that, if approved, would provide municipalities that have a history of continued population loss since 1980, a vacant housing problem, and a comprehensive plan to demolish that housing with an opportunity to apply to HUD for both funding for demolition and a study for how newly vacant land should be redeveloped.           

Below is a copy of Congressman Higgins’ recent letter to HUD: 

August 20, 2008

The Honorable Steven Preston
Secretary
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 Seventh Street SW
Washington, DC 20410-0002

Dear Secretary Preston:

As you create a funding formula for the distribution of emergency Community Development Block Grant funds as provided for by Public Law 110-289, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act, I strongly urge you to consider the plight of older industrial cities and regions like Western New York.  While Western New York may not lead in terms of impact from the immediate foreclosure crisis as compared to other communities, the fact is that it faces its own vacant housing problem that is more chronic, systemic, and prolonged than in almost any other American community.  Local leaders across my district struggle on a daily basis with the vacant housing crisis.  Vacant properties are one of the top concerns of citizens in the City of Buffalo, and the problem extends into inner ring suburbs like the Town of Cheektowaga, and communities like the City of Jamestown in Chautauqua County. 

The relief provided by the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act could act as a step in the right direction for these communities.  In the City of Buffalo alone, it is estimated that there are more than 20,000 vacant properties in some form of foreclosure or delinquency.  That is an extraordinary number, and the stark fiscal realities facing local and state governments make the problem much more difficult to manage, both in the short-run as funds must be prioritized to immediately demolish properties that act as severe blights, and in the long-run as communities do not possess the resources necessary to truly and comprehensively address how the vacant housing crisis will affect planning and land use decisions in the future.

It is imperative, then, that as you construct the funding formula for dispensation of funds to local and state governments, you consider the prolonged vacant housing problem that exists in older industrial regions like Buffalo and Western New York.  The criteria provided by Congress for HUD to consider provides ample flexibility to provide substantive relief for communities, like those that I represent, that have been dealing with the vacant housing crisis over a protracted period of time. 

The formula you create has the potential to help these communities turn a corner for a more stabilized future amid tumultuous economic times.  First and foremost, funds must be targeted to help these struggling communities isolate and target discrete neighborhoods where vacant homes can actually be purchased and rehabbed quickly and affordably, or in the alternative, where demolishing homes and piecing together land-banks for future re-use may be more appropriate.  Relief that is targeted will have a substantial and demonstrable impact on communities that are currently forced to triage, sometimes haphazardly - when dealing with vacant, foreclosed homes across large census tracts.

In addition, significant consideration must be made for the reality that too many vacant homes constitute blight, and are public health and safety hazards for neighborhoods.  Many of these homes are beyond salvation and repair, and while local governments may have slated them for demolition, resources simply can’t keep up with the problem.  For communities facing high vacancy rates, I would urge your formula to provide accommodations for the need by local governments to restore homes that can be restored and tear down homes that are beyond repair. 

Vacant homes that have historical or architectural significance to their communities should be considered as prime candidates for purchase and rehabilitation as you develop your funding formula.  These types of homes usually hold particular relevance to their communities, and if they sit vacant for long periods, have the potential to act as negative symbols of decline and blight.  Using this formula to transform these structures from symbols of decline to symbols of optimism will have a significant effect on communities and markets by injecting fresh energy and inspiring confidence among citizens. 

In putting together this funding formula, HUD has a unique opportunity to provide targeted and helpful relief to communities – like those in Western New York - that have been struggling to deal with their vacant housing problem for quite some time.  I strongly urge you to consider the plight of these communities over the coming days and weeks as you carry out the ambit of the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act.

Sincerely,

BRIAN HIGGINS

Member of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) hailed Congressional action moving forward measures that would provide Great Lakes protection and cleanup.  Today, Congressman Higgins and his colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee approved the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008, a bill authorizing funds for the remediation of contaminated sites around the Great Lakes, including the Buffalo River Area of Concern.   Yesterday the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary passed the Great Lakes Compact, a bill also cosponsored by Congressman Higgins, which prevents the diversion of water from the Great Lakes. 

“The Great Lakes represent the largest surface source of fresh water on this planet,” said Congressman Higgins.  “Our geographic position along this stretch of water provides us with unique environmental and economic opportunities.  Actions we take today will protect this enormous natural resource located in our own backyard for generations to come.” 

The remediation projects authorized under the Great Lakes Legacy Act are negotiated between the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office and a region sponsor.  The bill passed in Committee would authorize $150 million annually from 2009-2013, three times the amount included in the 2002 bill.   

The Great Lakes compact is an agreement between the Governors of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the Premiers of Ontario and Québec, to be ratified by Congress which will ban new diversions of water from the Great Lakes basin and provide for coordinated conservation, use and data collection efforts.  Recently Congressman Higgins signed letter congratulating Great Lakes Governors for signing the Compact and he sent a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging approval of the Compact bill sponsored by Chairman Jim Oberstar. 
 
Congressman Higgins is a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force and led a local roundtable discussion on the Great Lakes last November.  The Congressman is the lead sponsor of H.R. 3331, a bill to limit phosphorus in detergents which when discharged into water causes excessive growth of weeds and algae which rob the water of oxygen that fish need to survive.  He is also a cosponsor of the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act, the Beach Protection Act, the Clean Water Restoration Act and the Water Quality Investment Act.  

Most recently Rep. Higgins was involved with The Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives tour, organized by the Healing our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, which was designed to raise awareness and call for action on the problems facing our lakes.  A ship named the Earth Voyager traveled to several cities as a part of a public awareness campaign.  Buffalo was the first stop on the tour.   According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 30 million people live in the Great Lakes basin.  Recently the Brookings Institute found that Buffalo would see economic gains between $600 million to $1.1 billion if the Great Lakes are restored. 

Brain Higgins has done quite a bit for our area.  He is hard working and now is your time to show your appreciation:

You are Cordially Invited to Attend a Reception Honoring Congressman Brian Higgins

Sunday, June 29^th, 2008

1:00 – 3:00pm – Outdoor Cocktail Reception

Saturn Club 

Buffalo, New York

Contribution Levels:

$250, $500, $1,000, $2,300

Submitted to:

Higgins for Congress

Buffalo, NY
14220

Contributions also accepted at:

www.higginsforcongress.com

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) presented World War II veteran Thomas M. Norton with the service medals he earned over sixty years ago.  Drafted six months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Norton served in the United States Army from June 13, 1941 to December 22, 1945.  As an infantryman, Norton fought in the New Guinea and Philippine Liberation Campaigns and reached the rank of Corporal before his honorable discharge. 

“It is truly my honor to present Mr. Norton with these long-overdue medals recognizing his brave and selfless service to this nation,” said Congressman Higgins.  “Our military heroes, past and present, provide an immeasurable service that protects the freedoms Americans enjoy.

”On Mr. Norton’s behalf, Congressman Higgins’ office contacted appropriate federal departments requesting the medals.  Mr. Norton received the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal with two bronze service stars, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1^st Award, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze service star, WWII Honorable Service Lapel Button, Expert Badge with Carbine Bar and Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar. 

Mr. Norton, a Buffalo resident who goes by the nickname “Tucker,” was married for 58 years to the late Ruth McKinivan.  He has a long family history of military service and is proud to have his grandfather’s Civil War discharge papers in his possession. 

The Congressman complimented Jack Mulderig, a member of the Bison City Rod and Gun Club along with Mr. Norton, for bringing Mr. Norton’s heroic service to his attention.

First Vessel to Dock in Newly Opened Erie Canal Slip Sets Sail to Spread Healthy Lakes Message  

BUFFALO, NY – Today, June 9, 2008, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) led the official bon voyage send-off of the Earth Voyager, one of the fastest sailing vessels on the Great Lakes.  The Voyager, on a Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives tour, made its first stop in Buffalo, New York at the newly developed site along the historic Erie Canal.   

“Containing over twenty percent of the world’s fresh water, the Great Lakes are an enormous natural asset to this nation,” said Congressman Higgins.  “Nearly two centuries ago the Lakes shaped this nation by providing for the early movement of settlers and commerce in America.  Now we are at a critical point in history where we must take action today to protect and preserve the Great Lakes as a means to shape this nation’s environmental and economic future. “ 

The Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives tour, organized by the Healing our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, is designed to raise awareness and call for action on the problems facing our lakes.  Healing Our Waters is lead by the National Wildlife Federation and the National Parks Conservation Association and includes over 100 fishing, boating hunting, birding, conservation and environmental organizations.   

The Western New York Division of Citizens Campaign for the Environment helped lead coordination of events during the Earth Voyager’s 5 day stop in Buffalo, NY.  Activities included a community forum hosted by the office of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, a Health Lakes, Health Lives Expo, a paddle tour, and a nature and lighthouse tour.  In addition to Citizens Campaign for the Environment, local event sponsors include the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, HSBC Bank, and Great Lakes United.    

“Congressman Higgins is a Great Lakes champion propelling efforts in Congress to protect and restore the Great Lakes—the backbone to our economy and quality of life in Western New York,” said Brian Smith, WNY Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment.  “The Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives tour is a call to all of our leaders in Washington to fund Great Lakes restoration now, before the problems get worse, and the solutions more expensive.”  

Congressman Higgins has been a leading advocate for protection and restoration of the lakes.  He is a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force and led a local Great Lakes roundtable discussion in Buffalo last November.  Last year the Congressman introduced H.R. 3331, a bill to prohibit as a banned hazardous substance, certain household dishwashing detergent containing phosphorus.  When discharged into waterways phosphorus causes excessive growth of weeds and algae which rob the water of oxygen that fish need to survive, limit recreational use of waterways and create foul odors.  He is also a cosponsor of the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act, the Beach Protection Act, the Clean Water Restoration Act and the Water Quality Investment Act.  

Recently the Brookings Institution found that Buffalo would see economic gains between $600 million to $1.1 billion if the Great Lakes are restored.   

As a main water route to the mid-West the Great Lakes shaped the demographics of our nation.  When the Erie Canal first opened in 1825 it connected the East to the Great Lakes and brought a surge in population and commerce which lead Buffalo to incorporate as a city in 1832.  Buffalo’s strategic position on the Great Lakes contributed significantly to its early rise to prominence; at the turn of the last century Buffalo was America’s largest inland port and the leader in the transshipment of grain and several other commodities.   

In addition to his waterside efforts, Congressman Higgins has been an active advocate for waterfront development, securing over $300 million in the last three years for projects that provide new public access to the water’s edge.   

The Earth Voyager send-off included a flotilla of vessels from Western New York including the Edward M. Cotter Fireboat and a United States Coast Guard craft.   

The Earth Voyager departs Buffalo, NY for stops in Erie, PA, Toledo, OH, Detroit MI, Port Huron MI, Sarnia, Ontario, Chicago, IL, Traverse City, MI, Grand Haven, MI, Milwaukee, WI, Bay City MI, Cleveland, OH and Rochester, NY.

Citing Consistent Backlogs and Increasing Number of New Cases Congressman Higgins Calls for Swift Action on Hiring of Staff & Judges to Hear Social Security Cases 

With May 2008 statistics in, showing 723 new Social Security cases filed in the Buffalo-area office last month alone, the highest one month total this year, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) is calling for swift action on the promised hiring of judges and staff at local Social Security Administration (SSA) offices.  The average age of pending cases is 364 days and average processing time is 665 days, meaning most people wait close to a year just to have their case heard and two years for a final decision on their claim.  The Buffalo area office, which has only 12 Administrative Law Judges, currently has 5,377 cases that have been pending for over one year.  

“Local judges and Social Security staff are working hard but until additional personnel are on the job they can’t put a dent in these numbers,” said Congressman Higgins.  “We need immediate action to get the Western New York offices staffed at a level that provides local residents with the service they deserve from our government.  Making people wait two years for an answer is unreasonable and unfair.” 

Outraged by the numbers included in the March 2008 SSA hearing office report, Higgins  wrote a letter to Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue insisting on more Administrative Law Judges in the Buffalo-area hearing office.  The Buffalo-area office service area includes:  Erie, Chautauqua, Niagara, Genesee, Ontario, Monroe, and Cattaraugus counties.  According to the SSA, the additional judges would be hired in the Rochester satellite office, where 40% of the backlog originates.  Two weeks ago the SSA confirmed they will hire two additional judges, as well as additional personnel, for the Western New York region. 

“The Social Security Administration can and must do better,” said Higgins, who plans to meet with SSA leaders to stress the urgent need for swift hiring in Western New York offices.  “More of the same is unacceptable.”

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) voted to approve the Defense Authorization Bill which includes a comprehensive plan to protect our troops, restore military readiness and provide servicemen and women with a much-needed pay raise.  

“Our military personnel dedicate themselves to taking care of this nation and in turn this nation must take care of our service members,” said Congressman Higgins.  “In addition to providing a well deserved pay increase, this legislation provides the resources to purchase new equipment to keep our troops and our country safe.” 

The legislation passed today provides all service members a pay raise of 3.9 percent and extends the authority for the Defense Department to offer bonuses and incentive pay. The bill also aids servicemen and women and their families by rejecting the Administration’s plan to increase premiums and co-pays for the military and retirees who are enrolled in the TRICARE system. All told, this provision will save troops, their families and military retirees $1.2 billion.  

The bill also takes critical steps to end the military’s readiness crisis.  In recent years, Army readiness has dropped to unprecedented levels, and Army National Guard units have, on average, only 63 percent of their required equipment.  Additionally, many stateside units are not fully equipped and would not be considered ready if called upon to respond during an emergency.  

The measure helps restore our nation’s military readiness by funding the Army’s and Marine Corps’ equipment reset requirements, authorizing nearly $2 billion for unfunded readiness initiatives including addressing additional equipment shortfalls, and authorizing $800 million to provide the National Guard and Reserve critically needed equipment.   

The bill also protects troops in harm’s way by authorizing $2.6 billion for additional Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, $947 million for additional Up-Armored Humvees, and $783 million for the continued procurement and enhancement of personal body armor.

 Higgins Work to Reduce Backlogged Cases Gets Results 

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) today announced that the federal Social Security Administration has confirmed they will hire two additional judges, as well as additional personnel, for the Western New York region to begin to address severe backlogs in Social Security caseloads for our region. 

“This decision will greatly assist thousands of Western New Yorkers who deserve better from their government. After years of allowing this severe backlog, an average of 669 days in the Buffalo area office, to continue to build, I am pleased to see that the Social Security Administration has finally heeded the calls of so many of my constituents to provide more boots on the ground to help citizens with their claims. This is a positive first step in correcting the severe backlog and I hope is that these much-needed hires will take place as quickly as possible,” said Higgins. 

Outraged by the numbers included in the March 2008 Social Security Administration (SSA) hearing office report, Higgins  wrote a letter to Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue insisting on more Administrative Law Judges in the Buffalo-area hearing office.  The Buffalo-area office service area includes:  Erie, Chautauqua, Niagara, Genesee, Ontario, Monroe, and Cattaraugus counties.  According to SSA, the additional judges would be hired in the Rochester satellite office, where 40% of the backlog originates. 

“Currently, judges and their staffs who are already overworked must spend precious work time driving back and forth across the region to hear cases in Rochester.  These hires will alleviate the strain the judges feel and allow them to focus more on the backlogs in the Buffalo area,” Higgins said.  

Congressman Higgins has long supported increased funding for the Social Security Administration.  In January, Congressman Higgins introduced H.R. 5110, the Social Security Customer Service Improvement Act which if enacted would provide Members of Congress with detailed information on the operation and staffing of Social Security offices in their districts and around the country.  Members of Congress should have ready access to this type of information, not only because it is exactly the type of information necessary to measure the effectiveness of government agencies, but also because when citizens aren’t treated properly at their local Social Security office, they immediately reach out to their local Member of Congress for expedited assistance.  

Higgins added, “The SSA still has a long way to go in addressing this problem – that’s why I introduced legislation that would make the agency more accountable to these backlogs and why I will continue to make sure that wait times only continue to decrease, and decrease steadily.  Frankly, I remain troubled by the extent to which the SSA allowed the situation to get so bad in the first place.”            

As of April 2008:

• It takes 653 days (nearly two years) for the average Western New Yorker to have their SSA case heard and processed in the Buffalo Hearing Office, one of the worst processing times in the country. 
• Administrative Law Judges in Buffalo have some of the largest caseloads in the country, with an average of 842 cases pending before each judge.
• 47% of the SSA cases in the Buffalo Hearing Office have been pending for over a year, among the highest percentages in the country.  The average age of all claims pending is 365 days.

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) sent a letter to the United States Army yesterday expressing concern about military personnel facing lengthy wait times for transportation back to the United States after completion of their designated tour of duty.  Congressman Higgins’ office was recently alerted to a situation where Captain Sharron Oleniacz, a Jamestown, NY resident, and over one hundred other service members, who were scheduled to return home last weekend, are held up in Kuwait awaiting transportation back to the United States. 

“Our service members, many of whom have spent over a year on dangerous and difficult assignments, should at a minimum expect that this nation, they have so valiantly defended, will provide them with timely and efficient transportation back to the U.S. and the families they left behind,” said Congressman Higgins.  “We owe them that respect.”  

This is the second time in recent months Congressman Higgins was asked to step in after local military personnel were made to wait long periods of time for transportation back to the U.S. after fulfilling their assignments.  In January Congressman Higgins worked with First Lieutenant Mark Giglio, who after completing a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq was stuck in Kuwait awaiting air transfer after eight cancellations of his flight out. 

In Captain Oleniacz’s case, the airline scheduled to transport the returning soldiers has gone bankrupt and is no longer flying.  Those stationed with Captain Oleniacz have not been notified when an alternate form of transportation will be provided.

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Brian Higgins today celebrated Earth Day and pledged to continue his work in Congress to protect the environment, fight global warming and spur a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous economy for the American people. 

“Since the first Earth Day in 1970, the awareness raised about environmental issues has helped to place stringent restrictions on polluters who would otherwise lay waste to our lakes and rivers, to bring back endangered species like the American Condor from the brink of extinction, and promoted recycling as a way to conserve resources,” said Higgins.  “Our achievements are extensive; however, we face unprecedented challenges for the future.” 

The 110^th Congress has already taken several major steps forward by passing landmark legislation that addresses the global warming crisis while creating new green collar jobs, cutting energy costs and helping end our dependence on foreign oil.  

The historic and bipartisan Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has been signed into law and will increase vehicle fuel efficiency standards and help save American families $700 to $1,000 per year at the gas pump. New building, appliance and lighting efficiency standards included in the new law will save consumers $400 billion through 2030. Additionally, the new law will help save 5.3 billion metric tons in energy-related CO2 emissions from 2008-2030 and cut the growth in energy-related emissions of CO2 by 10 percent.  

Congressman Higgins, a leading advocate for protection and restoration of the lakes, celebrated Earth Day over the past weekend by joining AmeriCorps Volunteers for clean-up activities along Gallagher Beach.  

“The Great Lakes are Western New York’s most vital natural resource,” said Congressman Higgins, a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Caucus.  “Historically, the lakes shaped this region as a port welcoming settlers, commerce and growth.    The long-tem health and vibrancy of this fresh water source is fundamental to the future of our environment and quality of life for those who will enjoy the lakes for generations to come.”