Hard Times

With GM's bankruptcy, I heard over 20,000 jobs will be lost. I also heard on the news tonight that HUD payments to housing authorities to provide housing vouchers for disabled and low income people who qualify, have been slashed so badly that in the Portland area, I think it is 600 or 700 people have been notified that their voucher assistance will end. They get one month's notice.

I think is just wrong. Our government has been giving failing huge companies billions. Disabled Americans and seniors, who rely on HUD vouchers, will have nowhere to turn.

The news interviewed a couple. She lost her job. He is on disability. They got a housing voucher and are living in a small house. They were one of the voucher holders who got the termination letter. They have one month before voucher assistance terminates. Their rent is just over the amount of the husband's disability check. They sold their camp trailer to make deposits to move into the house. Now they wish they still had that camper so they'd have a roof over their heads. They're both in their late 50's and without hope, really. They say they'll likely end up living in a tent somewhere.

That's really horrible for older Americans to face such a thing while banks get billions and end up messing up anyhow and squandering much of the taxpayer money given to them without strings attached.

I'm on a voucher. I wonder how many people in the Linn Benton Housing authority will get a letter. I know there are not as many by a long shot in these two counties on HUD as in the Portland area. I wonder how they decide who gets terminated when the federal money is drastically reduced.