CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., wants the housing needs of low-income citizens to be a priority in the U.S. budget for 2000. LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
"Many families trying to leave welfare find their low wages inadequate to pay for decent housing," Kay A. Bengston, LOGA's assistant director for public policy advocacy, wrote in Dec. 16 memos to President Clinton and to Jacob J. Lew, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
"Our Lutheran congregations and agencies find requests for assistance with housing to be almost as great as the requests for food assistance," she wrote.
Bengston asked the budget planners to ensure finances in the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development for more Section 8 certificates and "additional funding to maintain public housing, address homelessness and expand the Section 202 program for seniors."
Section 8 is a rent-subsidy program for eligible low-income families. Section 202 uses funding advances to support private nonprofit organizations and cooperatives which provide housing for the elderly.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
