Lonoke County Housing America
Proclamation
April 28, 2008

Whereas, for more than 70 years it has been the policy of this nation, under the
US Housing Act to promote the general welfare of this nation by employing its
funds and credit to assist the several states and their political subdivisions to
remedy the unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions and the acute shortage
of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for families of lower income; and

Whereas, according to the “State of the Nation’s Housing” report, 15.6 million
households now pay more than half of their income for housing; and

Whereas, according to current estimates, on any given night, there are nearly
750,000 homeless nationwide and up to 3.5 million persons who experience
homelessness at some point throughout the year; and

Whereas, according to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s “Out of
Reach” report, minimum wage earners are unable to afford even a one-
bedroom home anywhere in the country, and 88% of renters in cities live in
areas where the fair market rent for a two bedroom rental is not affordable
even with two minimum wage jobs; and

Whereas, public housing is home to over 2 million people, more than 40% of
whom are children, and currently receives federal funding at less than 82% of
need for ongoing operations and faces an estimated $18 billion—$20 billion
backlog in capitol repairs;

Whereas, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials;
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees’ Council of
Large Public Housing Authorities, Enterprise Community Partners; Habitat for
Humanity International,, Housing Assistance Council; Local Initiatives Support
Corporation; Manufactured Housing Institute; Mortgage Bankers Association;
National Association of Counties; National Affordable Housing Management
Association; National Association of Home Builders; National Association of
Realtors; National Council of State Housing Agencies; National Housing
Conference; National Housing Trust; National League of Cities; National
Leased Housing Association; National Low-Income Housing Coalition; Public
Housing Authorities Directors Association; and US Conference of Mayors are
united in an effort to raise public awareness of the importance of affordable
housing and community development programs and resources;

Whereas, the aforementioned groups have declared April “Housing America
Month, and 2008 a year long national campaign to inform the public and
decision makers of the critical need to address the nation’s housing and
community development concerns;

Now, therefore, we, Mayor Ray Glover, Mayor Wayne McGee, Mayor Eddie Joe
Williams, Mayor Art Brooke, Mayor Danny Maynard, and Judge Charlie
Troutman do hereby proclaim April “Housing America Month” in Lonoke
County and all of the cities within hereby endorse the Housing America
Campaign, its goals, objectives and purposes and in do doing recommit
ourselves to meeting the affordable housing and community development
needs of the community.