Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas praised Cleaver for working in a spirit of civility and mutual respect with his Republican colleagues in both the House and Senate.
“The Musallet Group is incredibly grateful to all of its loyal customers whose trust and support have made this growth possible,” Helen Ortiz said. “To all the dedicated employees, thank you for your hard work, passion, commitment. You are the heart of this success.”
BY JOE ARCE AND COREY CRABLE
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) recently gathered with local politicians and heads of local and federal companies and non-profits to announce the passing of what Cleaver’s office calls “the most significant housing reform legislation in a generation.”
Cleaver’s appearance was part of the Aug. 12 ROAD Ahead Housing Summit. Cleaver, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, spoke about the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which he introduced to his fellow Congresspeople last month. The act includes 47 housing supply provisions designed to build more housing and lower costs. After being advanced by both the House and Senate, the legislation went to President Trump for approval. Cleaver told the crowd that it languished in the Oval Office, being neither signed nor rejected by the President. Cleaver said that after 10 days of inaction, such legislation automatically becomes law. The road to get the legislation to the President’s desk was at times difficult, Cleaver recalled.
“There were days that I got out of bed in Washington and wondered if the bill was going to die. But many days I got out of the bed and thought, ‘You know, we’re not going to get this across the line’ because we were having problems with the Senate,” he said. “But surprisingly, we got together.”
Mayor Quinton Lucas praised Cleaver for working in a spirit of civility and mutual respect with his Republican colleagues in both the House and Senate.
“What Congressman Cleaver did not do was just say, ‘Well, I’ve got a tough U.S. House. I’ve got to deal with some senators focusing on who knows what. I’ve got a president who focuses on who knows what,’” Lucas said. “Instead, what they did is work through challenges, through ups and downs, through different focuses, through every drama going on in Washington and throughout America, and a few challenges here in Missouri as well. What the Congressman did was focused on all of us, on housing in our country, on the ability of us to improve the ability to build housing, affordable and accessible and attainable housing in every part of our state, this district, and this country.”
Lucas continued, “What the Congressman heard was, ‘Yeah, I am going to do it.’ We never heard excuses. We never heard obstacles. Instead, we heard something that all of us in Kansas City should be proud of -- getting real work done. And a sign that as we execute on this wonderful law, that we will get work done.”
Lindsay Hicks, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City, thanked Cleaver and Habitat’s affiliates.
“At Habitat for Humanity, our mission is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves a decent place to live. And for decades, we’ve had the privilege of living out that mission alongside families, volunteers, donors, community partners, and policy makers,” Hicks said. “This legislation brings us several steps closer to that vision. And this really has been a collective effort. It truly has.”
Shaun Donovan, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said the country is currently in the worst housing crisis he’s ever seen – and perhaps in U.S. history, which makes this new legislation even more necessary.
“Housing has always been a kitchen table issue. It is now the issue at every single kitchen table around this country. And that is really making a fundamental difference in our politics,” Donovan said. “If you think about getting the most significant housing bill of this century, probably in 50 years, as the congressman said, through this Congress, with more than 90% of the House and the Senate voting for it, that is a remarkable achievement.”
Donovan added that the bill does three fundamental things: It makes more federal resources available it gets federal barriers to moving quickly out of the way and it provides tools to local communities – tools such as zoning guidelines and much-needed changes to disaster recovery programs.
“Congressman Cleaver has done his job. Now it’s our time to do our jobs,” Donovan said. “This bill is only as good as what local communities step up and do with it. And so my advice to everyone in Kansas City and across the country is, let’s get started.”
Geoff Jolley of the Local Initiatives Support Corp., called the legislation “a step in the right direction.”
“Too many families today are living with housing cost burden,” Jolley said, “but the legislation today at least will help to reduce that number.”
