Washington, DC (February 17, 2006) – Today, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) was joined by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), for a tour of Proyecto Azteca, an organization that brings affordable and quality housing to low-income colonia areas in the Rio Grande Valley. Senator Menendez and Congressman Hinojosa toured the facilities, met with families, and talked about the President’s proposed FY07 budget that calls for substantial cuts to rural and low-income housing projects.
“The President’s budget recommends severe reductions or elimination of programs that directly impact residents of the 15th Congressional District – from cuts to public housing, to zero-funding of economic development programs, and elimination of all funding for the construction or preservation of affordable housing units in rural areas,” said Hinojosa. “Proyecto Azteca is an exemplary model that programs such as these work and strive to better the quality of life for low-income families across the Rio Grande Valley. It is irresponsible, at best, to call for the elimination of these programs.”
Proyecto Azteca has been largely successful through United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, as well as awards from the Housing Assistance Council (HAC). The proposed budget includes zero funding for the Rural and Economic Development (RHED) Program under HUD which has been a large support funding block for this program.
Proyecto Azteca’s mission is affordable housing for low-income families. This nonprofit group assists poor families build their own homes through sweat equity. The organization buys construction materials in bulk to build wood-frame homes that are then moved to real estate lots. Family members contribute labor hours that are credited toward the construction and purchase of the modest homes. Proyecto Azteca is affiliated with LUPE, a farmworker and immigrant advocacy group, which was affiliated with the United Farm Workers Union.
Senator Menendez was appointed to the U.S. Senate last year to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Jon S. Corzine, and took the oath of office on January 18, 2006. Previously he served as a U.S. Congressman and was chair of the House Democratic Caucus. He is a member of the Senate Banking, Budget and Energy and Natural Resources Committees.
Congressman Hinojosa is serving his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a member of the Financial Services and Education and Workforce Committees and is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Select Education. He is chair of the Congressional Rural Housing Caucus, and co-founder and co-chair of the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus.