Stripped funding doesn’t mean the end of what is slated to be one of New England’s first senior housing developments for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
But it does serve as a grim reminder of how bleak housing security can be for older members of the LGBTQ+ population.
Congressional Republicans this month nixed $850,000 in funding U.S. Representative Ayanna S. Pressley, Democrat of Massachusetts, requested for The Pryde housing development in Hyde Park, according to an announcement from her office. That money would have gone toward construction costs in converting a former Boston Public Schools building into 74 housing units for LGBTQ+ seniors. The project is also expected to include 10,000 square feet of community space.
The earmark was supposed to close the funding gap, as construction costs have soared for the project since it was first approved and budgeted. The money was one of three earmarks stripped from the fiscal 2024 Transportation-HUD Appropriations markup, Roll Call reported on July 18.
During the panel’s first recess, the publication said, Representative Andrew Clyde, Republican of Georgia, said it would be “inappropriate” to fund the projects his party wants to cut: “That’s a woke priority, and we’re not going to spend the government’s [money]” to fund the projects. [..]
Click here to read the full piece. This story was originally published by Boston.com on July 25, 2023.
