Golden Fleece Award

Second District Cong. French Hill, R-Little Rock, announced his fourth winner of the Golden Fleece award, a “dishonor” he resurrected to bring attention to government waste.

This month, Hill is giving the award to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for wasting $104.4 million to support thousands of over-income families in public housing units throughout the United States.

Hill noted an Inspector General report that showed while families over the income threshold held inexpensive public housing for decades, eligible low-income families remained on public housing waiting lists.

In one case that was investigated, a four-person household in New York receiving an annual salary of nearly $500,000 — over seven times the amount of the low-income threshold — lives in taxpayer-subsidized public housing, while over 300,000 families sit on the waiting list, Hill noted.

“It just doesn’t pass the common sense smell test that Arkansans are good at understanding,” Hill said. “HUD’s policy is once again showing an insensitivity to the people who really need their assistance to get back on their feet and have a safe place for their family.”

Hill said he expects there will be hearings on the matter when Congress returns this fall. Until then, he hopes the Golden Fleece award will draw attention to the matter.

“I hope the Golden Fleece is another way to call for change in their existing policy,” Hill said.

You can view the letter sent to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development here.