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  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 10/17/22
    First Name: Theresa (TJ)
    Last Name: Hughes
    Organization: Jane Addams Senior Caucus
    City: N/A
    State: N/A
    Attachment: N/A
    Number: RIN-2590-AB21

  • Comment

    Dear Director Thompson and FHFA team,

    My name is Theresa (TJ), and I live in Chicago “Bronzville” IL. I’m writing in response to the FHFA Multifamily Enterprise Housing Goals Proposed Rule Comment Request: ‘Community Support Requirements, (No. 2022–N–11) Multifamily Enterprise Housing Goals Proposed Rule.

    My rent has been raised $98.00/month. I am a senior in a HUD funded building that is not maintained properly, and yet you allow the Owner/Agent to increase my rent! I am on a fixed SSA income, which is my ONLY source of income, which is barely enough to take care of my needs (ie., Food, Clothing, Health and Wellness, and pay essential bills). We are 65-90+ years of age, residing in a 152-unit, 20-story building that has 2 elevators, which have been out-o-service since 8/30/22. We sometimes have to wait up to 20-40 minutes for the one (1) that you get on at the risk of your life to come. Some of us use the stairwell. THAT AIN’T RIGHT!!! Yet, you allow these slumlords to raise our rent! THIS I BULLSHITZ!

    WE ARE THE PEOPLE— You ALL are charged with taking care of US! But you are the 1st to run to outsiders problems, I AM ASHAMED that you don’t look out for HOME —1st Priority.

    The rent is TOO DAMN HIGH and I’m counting on FHFA to take every possible action to regulate rents for all properties with federally backed mortgages. If our public money is financing the business of making money on our homes, the least that you can do as a regulator is attach conditions to these resources that benefit the people. FHFA has successfully taken bold action in the past to help protect tenants during COVID-19 and to look out for residents of manufactured housing, and I am counting on FHFA to take similar action to help tenants like me during this time of intense economic hardship.

    I am a member of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus and a leader with the Homes Guarantee campaign. The Homes Guarantee campaign is led by over 52 tenant-led organizations from all corners of the country. We have a long term vision for a world where everyone has access to safe, sustainable and TRULY affordable housing. In the short term we are organizing to win an executive order on rent regulation from the President— see more here: https://damnhighrent.com

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you would like to get in touch with me, please contact Grace White, the Homes Guarantee Organizer at g.white@peoplesaction.org.
    Sincerely,
    TJ