STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS
"This is yet another sorry, and potentially dangerous, appointment coming out of the Trump Administration.
"As chair of the Council's Committee on Housing and Buildings, it is extremely concerning that a person without zero experience in housing or government sectors is being charged with overseeing how billions of tax payer dollars are spent for federal housing programs, including the struggling New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). How these dollars are spent, or not spent, has an impact on millions of families across New York and New Jersey. People are relying more and more on government to help fill the gap between what they come home with and what they're able to afford for housing expenses. Housing to this Administration is clearly more of a play thing, than a serious resource that so many communities are being starved of.
"This appointment is just the latest example of why the job of local legislators and leaders is especially important now. We cannot trust that the people placed to lead critical offices, such as HUD, will be effective or competent in addressing the needs of the people. It's time we step up.
"It is not lost on me that this is yet another example of the insulting belief that the housing agency is more of a place to store Trump's melanin rich allies, than a place to seriously contemplate and address issues of critical concern."
