by Clare Duncan, National Housing Conference
Yesterday, Ethan Handelman, NHC’s Vice President for Policy and
Advocacy testified in front of the Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittees of House Financial Services tomorrow at a joint hearing on “Fraud in the HOME Program.”
The hearing included two panels. The first panel, which became a bit of a spectacle, included two individuals convicted of defrauding organizations that received funds from the HOME program. Timothy Truax testified in front of the committee, while “Jane Smith” testified via satellite from prison. The second panel included Ethan Handelman and three representatives from HUD, including John McCarty, the Acting Deputy Inspector General, Kenneth Donohue, former Inspector General, and James Beaudette, Deputy Director of the Departmental Enforcement Center.
Members from both sides of the aisle expressed their concern for the potential misuse of HOME funding and focused their questions on how to make the HOME program run effectively and with better oversight. Some members did note that both individuals on the first panel were caught for their fraudulent activities suggesting the presence of successful oversight.
More information including witness testimony and the archived hearing can be found on the House Financial Services website. NHC stated our strong support of the HOME program to the Subcommittees in advance of the hearing. You can read our letter here.