In economic times like these — one of massive foreclosures, dwindling wages, increased homelessness and the very real threat of a depression — one would think state budgets would be able to find a few extra pennies for, of all things, tenant advocacy organizations.
The Madison-based Tenant Resource Center, directed by Progressive Dane’s Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, is currently experiencing a financial distress outmatched by even the economy itself. Over the past two years, the TRC has lost financial aid from both university and federal sources, totaling $96,000, according to a recent Capital Times article. In these tough economic times, fundraising efforts are unlikely to bring in as much money as previous years.
On a related note, the Student Service Finance Committee was forced to recently minimally fund the TRC’s student branch, the Student Tenant Union, due to, of all things, no existing leadership and a lack of registration with the Student Organization Office. Despite gaining eligibility for funding last year, it seems the group effectively no longer exists.
For the TRC, a loss of funding has had the predictable effect of undercutting its services. The organization has now slashed its staff down from 10 to four, increasingly relying on its dedicated base of volunteers. It has also cut back on its toll-free telephone number that provides advice for both at-risk tenants and landlords.
The TRC offers a variety of services, including tenant rights education, counseling on housing-related disputes and printed literature for both tenants and landlords. According to the Cap Times, “The agency serves about 9,000 people a year at the Job Center help desk, 6,000 people at its Williamson Street offices and 700 through a mediation program that aims to resolve tenant-landlord disputes, usually over eviction.”
Throughout this city, the number of people evicted, or at risk of eviction, has mushroomed over the last year and a half. This is indicative of a national trend in which millions have defaulted on their mortgages, contributing to a major crisis in the lending industry. While some believe the solution is $700 billion corporate bailouts, others, like the employees of the TRC, advocate for more financial assistance to those further down the class hierarchy — i.e., those threatened with being thrown out onto the street.
Obviously, the services of the TRC are essential for protecting the interests of low-income people, especially when the economy undergoes self-downsizing. Apparently, fiscal conservatives (including those hiding behind the label “Democrat”) disagree.
The TRC is currently requesting a number of grants from the Madison budget, citing the necessity of its services for thousands of the city’s residents as justification. In particular, it is asking for a $13,000 Community Development Block grant, while Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is pushing to cut that down to $8,000. The organization is also requesting $42,000 from the Office of Community Services, also threatened because of intervention from the mayor.
With the mayor and many on the City Council reluctant to aid the homeless population with either legal protection or financial assistance — with Konkel leading the pushback on both counts — the protection of tenant interests becomes all the more imperative.
While the budget never has a problem finding an extra million or two for the police department — absurdly, 30 new police officers were hired last year — money for low-income housing concerns is always precarious. Currently, the City Council budget is operating on historically tight funds, so some programs will inevitably be forced to scale back their services.
“When times are tight, it’s a matter of prioritizing what’s most important to the community,” according to Konkel.
I couldn’t agree more, and I’d much rather see money directed toward the city’s underprivileged than funding more cops in reaction to the anti-crime hysteria. If we want to stop crime, it would seem only logical to first address its causes, namely destitution. While seeing more men in blue on the street may provide some socially-conditioned psychological relief, the truth is that there is no evidence that more cops have any impact on decreasing crime.
But more importantly, funding for organizations like the TRC has a more forceful impact on the lives of poor people in Madison. Local government officials have a clear choice to make, and it would be in the best interests of everyone if they opted for community uplift over sirens and handcuffs.
Kyle Szarzynski ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in history and philosophy.
