Democrat: Biden infrastructure plan needs more funding for affordable housing

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres (N.Y.) on Sunday criticized President Biden’s infrastructure proposal, saying it does not provide enough funding for affordable housing.

When pressed by host Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation” about his previous comments that The American Jobs Plan was not nearly big enough, Torres, who represents the Bronx, pointed to funding for affordable housing.

“I’m a product of public housing, and so I’m on a mission to ensure that public housing gets its fair share of The American Jobs Plan,” Torres said.

“The plan only proposes $40 billion; public housing in New York City alone has a $40 billion capital need, so we need at least $70 billion to fully address the humanitarian crisis in public housing,” Torres continued.

Democrat @RepRitchie says there’s “no question” Biden’s jobs plan would “fundamentally change the trajectory” of the US, but notes it doesn’t go far enough on affordable housing. He argues at least $70 billion is needed to “fully address the humanitarian crisis in public housing” pic.twitter.com/WIL5Cb04UZ

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 4, 2021

Torres went on to say that in New York City public housing has been “savagely starved of federal funding.”

He did, however, call Biden’s proposal a “historic investment in our country,” adding that it would “fundamentally change the trajectory of our country, not only here at home but abroad.”

Torres during the appearance on CBS also discussed the low COVID-29 vaccination rates in his district, explaining that the greatest barrier among his constituents is the digital divide.

“The racial disparities in vaccination rates for me is more consequence of vaccine access than vaccine hesitancy,” Torres said.

“One of the greatest barriers to vaccine access is the digital divide, those in the Bronx who have no access to the internet have much less access to information about vaccination sites and have no real ability to participate in online registration systems,” he added.

New York’s @RepRitchie represents the poorest district in the US. He faults existing digital divides as contributing to racial disparities in vaccinations and vaccine access, saying those in the Bronx with no access to the Internet have no ability to register online for vaccines. pic.twitter.com/ov9hG3EjsL

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 4, 2021

Torres said community health centers and community-based institutions can serve as “credible messengers” to fix the disparity in areas like the south Bronx. He added that he is “optimistic” that progress is being made.