Blind African American Section 8 tenant fears budget cuts may harm him

Blind African American Section 8 tenant fears budget cuts may harm him

By Lynda Carson - May 24, 2023

With the federal government being held hostage by a manufactured debt ceiling crisis by extremist right-wing fascist Republicans, our nation is on the verge of a government shutdown, may default on it’s debts, and may soon be forced into catastrophic budgets cuts to our nation’s federal domestic programs, including HUD’s subsidized housing programs.

Blind African American Section 8 Tenant Fears Budget Cuts May Harm Him:

This manufactured debt ceiling crisis terrorizing our nation by the Republicans, has a 60 year old blind African American man named Charlie Jammer, who is a “Housing Choice Voucher tenant a.k.a. Section 8 voucher tenant” in Alameda, is very concerned about losing his housing if he loses his Section 8 voucher because of possible budget cuts to HUD’s subsidized housing programs.

Charlie Jammer told me that has been blind since birth, and that he is originally from nearby East Palo Alto.

During a discussion earlier with Mr. Jammer on Tuesday evening, he said, “I am opposed to any budget cuts because they may force me to get into a program that I do not want to get into such as a nursing home, or a homeless shelter. If I lose my Housing Choice Voucher / Section 8 Voucher, or face major housing budget cuts to my voucher that makes it impossible for me to pay the rent where I reside, then I will have major problems. They do not treat blind people or people with disabilities very well in nursing homes, and a lot of people died in nursing homes during the covid-19 pandemic,” Jammer said.

Years ago in 2004, I first met a much younger Charlie Jammer in Alameda at the time, when I went to visit him in his apartment. I escorted him to a rally in front of the Alameda City Hall being organized by the Campaign for Renters Rights, to help save Section 8 tenants in Alameda who were being threatened with the loss of their Section 8 housing vouchers, due to budgets cuts occurring at the time to HUD’s subsidized housing programs.

I recall it being very dark in Mr. Jammer’s apartment when I met him, but it was nice, and very clean. Mr. Jammer was very gracious, and friendly. I liked him immediately, and knew that we had to help Charlie somehow to remain in his housing. At the time he was being told by the Alameda Housing Authority that he was losing his Section 8 voucher due to budget cuts, and because he did not have any “Section 8 seniority” in Alameda, because he recently transferred there from another county. However, Mr. Jammer was a longtime Section 8 voucher tenant since around 1995, and it did not make any sense to dump a poor blind man onto the cold hearted streets of America.

“I am proud of being independent,” Mr. Jammer went on to say, “but it has been getting harder for me because of budget cuts to the In-Home Support Services (IHSS) program. I really want to keep my independence. It’s extremely important to me.

I have been blind since I was born. I am originally from East Palo Alto, was born in 1962, am 60 years old, and am still independent thanks to the Housing Choice Voucher / Section 8 Voucher program, and IHSS.

I think that the people who are demanding the massive budget cuts to programs that help people like myself, should put themselves in my shoes, and see what they would do if they were to lose their independence, housing assistance, healthcare, food, or hope.

We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution does not exclude us from that just because a bunch of rich people want to destroy our nation’s popular domestic programs that help out the poor, blind, elderly, and those with disabilities. I want people to know that I oppose any budget cuts that will harm myself and others. The people demanding the budget cuts and additional work requirements for the poor, blind, elderly, and those with disabilities who are receiving assistance from the much needed programs they are attacking should read the Constitution. These programs should get better funding, and should not face budget cuts. I oppose any and all budget cuts,” Charlie Jammer said.

Housing Authorities Are Deeply Concerned:

As recent as May 18, 2023, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) sent out a notice to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) across the nation, and the U.S. Territories stating that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo stating that, “the House Republicans would have to slash spending for all other federal agencies by 30 percent next year if they would like to protect or see an increase in defense spending. The memo states that a 30 percent cut would eliminate funding for Housing Choice Vouchers for over 800,000 households, including 250,000 households headed by seniors.

CLPHA remains deeply concerned that such spending cuts would be catastrophic to PHAs' abilities to provide stable, secure housing for low-income families in their communities and will continue to advocate for adequate funding for HUD programs that help PHAs fulfill their missions.”

U.S. Treasury Asked Federal Agencies To Make Payments At A Later Date, If Possible:

Reportedly, things are so bad because the Republicans are holding the government hostage until they get what they want in the debt ceiling negotiations, the U.S. Treasury has asked the nation’s federal agencies if they could make payments at a later date in an effort to save cash until the debt ceiling crisis is resolved.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Friend And Closest Advisor:

According to The Hill, one of Kevin McCarthy’s longtime friends and closest advisor to him, is a fellow named Jeff Miller, of Miller Strategies LLC.

Is it possible that Jeff Miller and his cohorts at Miller Strategies LLC may be advising McCarthy on how to bully the country into submission during the debt ceiling negotiations?

According to public records, Jeffrey Miller is a campaign contributor to Mike Pence, and he resides in an extremely posh residence in Austin, Texas, for the very wealthy.

Additionally, during 2023, according to Open Secrets, Jeff Miller and his lobbying firm called Miller Strategies LLC, represent many fortune 500 corporations, including BIG TOBACCO which is responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans all across the nation.

Debt Ceiling Negotiator - Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves For The House Republicans:

Reportedly, Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, is leading the negotiations for the House Republicans, demanding massive budget cuts, and leading the charge for the attacks on our nation’s domestic programs including Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicare, SNAP, TANF, HUD’s subsidized housing programs, and many other popular federal programs.

During the same period that the fascist Freedom Caucus of Trump supporters took the debt ceiling process hostage while demanding the insane budget cuts and leading the horrific attacks on our nation’s popular domestic programs, Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, and more than 70 other rabid dog Republicans introduced legislation to make permanent the 2017 massive Trump era tax cuts.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com

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