Editorial: Relief raises questions

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 6:24 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Sept. 24-25, 2005

For years the city of Las Vegas has been receiving federal money under a program known as HOME for the purpose of providing low-income people with affordable housing. The program received attention earlier this month when hurricane victims began arriving in the city. Any city participating in HOME was authorized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to use the program's funds to provide temporary housing for the displaced victims. Last week the city approved using $1 million for that purpose.

We believe in helping the hurricane victims. The disaster on the Gulf Coast, however, has revealed that there is really no local or federal plan for assisting people victimized by disasters. It's not right that we must take funds from a program dedicated to helping our own low-income people. There is no guarantee that the federal government will reimburse the city. Affordable housing has been identified here as being a priority need, but we could very easily be out $1 million set aside to fulfill it.

The transfer of the $1 million also revealed that the city has accumulated more than $5 million in HOME funds over the years, apparently without spending any of it. The city was vague when the Las Vegas Sun asked about its plan for using the money, saying only that it was "earmarked for an affordable housing project that is delayed."

In our view, money to help hurricane victims should come from the state's "rainy day" fund, which is set aside for disasters. And the city should use its HOME funds for what they were intended -- and be open about how they are planned to be spent.