Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, will hold a hearing this morning on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) inspections process at properties in Florida managed by Global Ministries Foundation (GMF).

GMF, which manages section 8 housing in eight states and receives taxpayer dollars through HUD, has faced many code violations for deplorable living conditions at several properties across the country. Tenants had been exposed to mold and fire hazards, and some were hospitalized due to gas leaks. Despite these conditions, HUD had inspected many of these properties and had given them scores that were well above the minimum passing score.

“This is absolutely unacceptable, and this hearing is a necessary step towards a thorough investigation and holding the Global Ministries Foundation and HUD accountable for these poor, uninhabitable living conditions,” Senator Scott said. “I am looking forward to hearing from each witness to get to the bottom of this and ensuring HUD’s inspection process is not harming the health and safety of American families.”

A livestream of the hearing will be available here.

Hearing Information:
WHEN: TODAY, September 22, 2016, 10:00AM
WHERE: SD-538, Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC

Witnesses:
Panel One:
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
U.S. Bill Nelson (D-FL)

Panel Two:
Dr. Edgar Olsen, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, University of Virginia
Ms. Tracy Grant, President, Eureka Gardens Tenants' Association, Jacksonville, FL
Major Josh Lewis, Riviera Beach Police Department, Riviera Beach, Florida