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In the past few years, there has been an
alarming increase in our cities’ homeless population. That situation
will certainly worsen if thousands of federally subsidized housing
developments lose their protections, as federal programs expire by
2010 and owners prepay their outstanding debt. “I toured the regions’
largest homeless shelter today and there is simply no room to
accommodate the families and individuals that will be homeless if our
housing system fails us,” said Ross.
“Since first volunteering with the
homeless in 1989, I have understood the importance of affordable
housing,” said Ross. “I’m deeply committed to this issue. In 1999, I
took a homeless man from the Pine Street Inn into my home for a year.”
High housing costs rob low and
moderate-wage workers of a majority of their income, leaving
insufficient funds for child care, food, transportation, and other
basic necessities. Maintaining and expanding the supply of affordable
housing is a top priority today. “No citizen of this state should
ever have to choose between paying their rent or feeding their
family,” said Ross.
Ross strongly supports legislative efforts
to preserve assisted affordable housing and to adopt protections for
low and moderate-income tenants of governmentally subsidized housing.
“Just in my district, there are over 9,000 affordable housing units
currently threatened by expiring federal grants. This is a dire
concern. By working together, the state our cities must ensure that
these units remain affordable,” said Ross.
Ross is running in the Special election to
fill the State Senate seat recently vacated by Senator Jarrett
Barrios. Increasing the supply of affordable housing stands at the
cornerstones of his legislative agenda. “As State Senator, I will
work to ensure all our fellow citizens always have a house to come
home to,” said Ross. |
