Rubio Urges HUD to Immediately Address Failing Florida Properties

Statement

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) urged U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge to immediately address several of Florida's Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance properties with failing Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) scores that had previously experienced inspection delays.

"Last year, in response to direct outreach from constituents, my staff visited numerous Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance properties throughout the State of Florida," Rubio wrote. "In many of these cases, my staff found systemic evidence of harmful conditions and a general state of chronic despair. I wrote to you on May 18, 2021, expressing my concern over a lack of timely and regular inspections. At the time, at least 29 properties in Florida with failing REAC scores under the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance program had not been inspected in several years--apparently violating the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Uniform Physical Condition Standards. My staff visited most of these 29 properties and confirmed that the conditions were unsafe and unsanitary."

"On July 7, 2021, you confirmed that each of the properties I highlighted had received new inspections, with the exception of one that has since been completed," Rubio continued. "While I am appreciative that the mandatory REAC inspections occurred, upon review of the most recent REAC scores, I found that at least seven of the 29 properties that previously had failing REAC scores continue to have failing scores. Even more alarming, more than half of the properties on this list have worse conditions now than when they were previously inspected. Moreover, of the 29 inspections that you shared were completed, seven scores have yet to be posted on HUD's website."

Source