Housing Projects Get Aid For Bills

Martinez noted that many utility bills are, on average, 18 percent higher than what housing authorities projected last year. In some cases, he said, the bills have climbed over 50 percent. He cited the Los Angeles Housing Authority's utility bill, which has increased 25 percent, as an example. "Increases of that magnitude are simply too large to absorb." Martinez explained that $55 million of the $105 million will be put into a general resources fund used to meet the total subsidy requirements for the nation's 3,100 PHAs. With the additional funding the account will total $3.29 billion, which is divided among the housing authorities.