Text of Senator Charles Schumer's Letter to Mel Martinez, Secretary U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Dear Secretary Martinez:
I am writing to urge the Department of Housing and Urban Development to, without delay, come to an agreement with the City of Rochester regarding it's Asset Control Area Partnership (ACAP) program. With more than 100 houses awaiting demolition, and many more waiting to be sold to willing home buyers, HUD's inaction is hurting this great city's efforts to improve it's neighborhoods and keep them safe.
As you know through our previous discussions, I have been a strong supporter of the City of Rochester's ACAP program. In 1999 I urged your predecessor to investigate HUD's property management contractor because it was not doing its job; that company was soon fired. I was an eager supporter of HUD's groundbreaking ACAP agreement with Rochester because this city has done an excellent job of recruiting owner-occupants into city homes. You will also remember our discussion last year as I advocated for the continuation of this important partnership as HUD undertook a nationwide review of the program in 2002.
Now, with a successful record of nearly 600 HUD-foreclosed homes sold, the city waits as negotiations with HUD on a new ACAP agreement linger on over the city's reasonable request to recoup some of the costs of running this program. Make no mistake, this delay has a direct effect on city residents. They are forced to live among boarded-up eyesores that become easy targets for drug activity and arson, which depress area property values and harm the quality of life for thousands of people.
The City of Rochester should get an award for its hard work and innovation in promoting this successful home ownership program. Instead, HUD's delay in reaching a final agreement is preventing the city from cleaning up and strengthening neighborhoods by selling foreclosed homes to eager owner-occupants.
Please do all you can to quickly finalize an ACAP agreement that meets the needs of the City of Rochester. Thank you for your consideration of this request, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Charles Schumer
United States Senate