On January 5 the administration announced a moratorium on all new commitments for public housing and 235, 236 and rent supplement projects. On January 8, the Farmer’s Home Administration suspended grants for housing for domestic farm labor and loans for low income, rural rental and farm labor housing. Grants for neighborhood facilities and water and sewer facilities have been suspended and will be terminated June 30. Grants for open space projects have been terminated, and the urban renewal budget will be reduced by 90 percent. No funds will be available for rehabilitation loans, and no grant funds can be requested for new communities.

Since 27 percent of U.S. households and more than 32 percent of non-metropolitan households have incomes below the Bureau of Labor statistics established “lower budget” standard of living, the result in hard, cold figures is the need by 17 million households of assistance in meeting the cost of adequate housing.

In 1970 figures indicate that 4.4 million households either lacked essential plumbing facilities of were severely overcrowded. Of these 4.4 million, 25 percent had incomes of $7,000 or more, 50 percent had incomes of $4,000 or more and the remainder had incomes of less than $4,000.

Startling as these figures are, household income data also indicate that almost five percent – nearly 600,000 families – in the median income range ($7,000 to $10,000) live in housing which lacks plumbing, is severely overcrowded, or both.

Next week – more on the impact.