U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., who is running to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in the U.S. Senate in 2016 is wanting an investigation into the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department in light of last month’s report that tens of thousands of Americans were living in public housing despite exceeding the maximum earning level required to live there.
“With an ever-growing waitlist for housing assistance from those truly in need, these incidences of waste, fraud and abuse must be eliminated immediately,” Jolly said. “It is time to clean house at HUD.”
Last month, HUD’s Office of Inspector General released the report that showed more than 25,000 families were living in federal public housing despite making more than the maximum under the law. This included a family in New York making almost $500,000 paying almost $1,600 to live in public housing. Almost 300 of those families were based in Florida.
The report comes after U.S. Rep. David “Phil” Roe, R-Tenn., asked for the review of overincome families. Most of these families, at first, had incomes that met federal requirements but, as time went on, their incomes increased.
This week, from his perch on the House Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Jolly sent a letter to U.S. HUD Secretary Julian Castro on Tuesday demanding answers.
“Every American taxpayer deserves to know that their tax dollars are used for those rightfully in need of assistance, and not irresponsibly squandered by subsidizing those in the highest income brackets,” Jolly wrote Castro.
Jolly also turned to his subcommittee chairman -- U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. -- asking for a congressional investigation.
“I am requesting of you today that we immediately convene a congressional investigation and hearing upon our return to session to investigate this current failed housing policy by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and to identify together ways to use the annual budget process to permanently eliminate these incidents of waste, fraud and abuse,” Jolly wrote his fellow Florida Republican.
Jolly is running in the Republican Senate primary along with U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and businessman Todd Wilcox.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
