HOUSING: AFFORDABILITY IS REVIEWED

The Missouri Housing Development Commission will conduct a public hearing in Cape Girardeau tonight to discuss its Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Holiday Inn at Route K and Interstate 55.

Gene M. Zafft, chairman of the MHDC, said the commission is conducting the hearings around the state to gather public comments on the preliminary draft of the housing document.

"This document is a guide for dealing with low and moderate income housing needs in Missouri," Zafft said. "We now need public comment from interested individuals and groups before we submit the final draft to the federal government."

Missouri is required by the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 to submit a Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in order to qualify for federal housing funds.

Certain cities in the state also are required to submit individual strategies.

The Missouri CHAS outlines housing needs with an inventory of housing conditions in the state's 20 Regional Planning Commission areas. The document also presents a five-year strategy and a one-year action plan to address the statewide housing needs indicated.

The state CHAS specifically addresses the needs of low and moderate income households, the homeless, and other "special needs" groups according to federal guidelines. Social service agencies, non-profit organizations, local governments and other interested persons and groups combined to draft the CHAS.

Anyone interested in commenting on the document can attend the hearing in Cape Girardeau. The MHDC requires that anyone giving testimony must provide written transcripts of their comments.

Written comments also may be sent to MHDC, 3770 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo., 64111.

The final draft of the CHAS must be approved by the MHDC and Gov. John Ashcroft, then submitted to HUD by Oct. 31.