IV. 摘要寫作 (20%)
下列信函 (詳見下頁) 為1975年美國參議員 Adlai (E) Stevenson 寫給美國住宅與城市發展部 (縮寫為 HU(D)部長 Carla A. Hills 的一封法規修正要求函。請 (a) 以英文 (b) 在一個段落以內、(c) 以不超過 100 個英文字摘要該信函主要內容。除專用語外，抄襲該函用字比例超過一半以上，本題不予計分，其餘按比例酌予扣分。[本大題請於答案卷作答]
U.S. Senate
Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Washington, D.C.
May 24, 1975
Hon. Carla A. Hills
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
Dear Secretary Hills,
I'm writing to request correction of a serious deficiency and apparent illegality in HUD's implementation of section 518(b) of the National Housing Act. Section 518(b) provides for the correction of serious defects in existing homes insured under sections 203 and 221 of the National Housing Act.
As you know, when section 518 was amended last year to expand its coverage, it was also amended to limit its geographic scope to homes located in an "older declining urban area" in order to concentrate resources where the need is greatest. Yet HUD has arbitrarily defined an older declining urban area as a census tract within an SMSE [Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area] or a neighborhood within a community with a population of 25,000 or more "which is comprised predominantly (50% or more) of dwellings built prior to 1940." Such a test, based as it is solely on the age of the housing stock, without any foundation in the law, is contrary to legislative history and public policy, and has the effect of excluding home owners who were intended to be covered by the law.
While the phrase "older declining urban area" is not defined for purposes of section 518, its origin is an identical phrase in section 223 (e) of the National Housing Act. Section 223 (e) was enacted in 1968 in order to provide mortgage insurance for reasonably viable but marginal areas in the inner city in order to prevent and arrest the process of decay. But under HUD's own regulations, the availability of mortgage under section 223 (e) is not governed by whether 50% or more of the housing in the area was built prior to 1940. Indeed such a rigid and arbitrary standard would have been contrary to the purpose of the law and would have seriously impaired the program. Instead, section 223 (e) is intended to be used flexibly in order [to] make mortgage insurance available in areas which might not otherwise satisfy eligibility standards regardless the age composition of the housing stock.
It is, accordingly, manifestly improper to apply a different standard for purposes of section 518(b). I, therefore, strongly urge a revision of applicable HUD regulations and a concerted effort on HUD's part to fulfill the purposes of the law.
Sincerely,
Adlai E. Stevenson
阿摩線上測驗
登入