U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and several colleagues have introduced federal legislation to tackle the nationwide affordable housing crisis and climate change.
The proposal is called The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act. Blumenthal said it would convert public housing across the country into zero-carbon, highly energy-efficient homes.
“Whether in Connecticut or around the country, the investment in public housing is an imperative, morally and legally, because people will go without homes unless the federal government provides this base of support,” he said.
That would dramatically improve the living conditions for nearly 2 million people across the country.
“Public housing provides an essential source of homes to people who right now very often go without them. Either they are on the streets or living with other people. Or they are in substandard housing,” Blumenthal said.
The proposal would spend $234 billion over 10 years to retrofit, rehabilitate and expand the nation’s public housing stock.
According to state officials, Connecticut currently has an affordable housing deficit of about 92,500 units.
The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act is led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the Senate and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in the House of Representatives.
Co-sponsors of the legislation include Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT), and 55 members in the House of Representatives.
