Dr. Carson’s HUD has proposed an initiative for broad changes to federal housing subsidies, including raising the rents to 35% of income, raising the rent cap from $50 to $150, and would allow for public housing authorities to impose more work requirements on residents. The plan is part of a multi-pronged effort to shrink government assistance across the board, though many believe the opposite is necessary, “When we are in the middle of a housing crisis that’s having the most negative impact on the lowest-income people, we shouldn’t even be considering proposals to increase their rent burdens,” says Diane Yentel of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The housing initiative changes in accordance with similar actions in the fields of food and medical care; work requirements imposed on Medicaid recipients in Kentucky are expected to cause the loss of 95,000 recipients over the next 5 years.