Cutting down state bureaucracy: An editorial

The five state agencies that had been charged with overseeing housing assistance will be folded into one agency in an effort to improve efficiency and services.

Sen. Neil Riser.jpgSen. Neil Riser

Senate Bill 269 by Sen. Neil Riser won final passage Thursday. The Jindal administration proposal will pull together almost 30 different programs under the nonprofit Louisiana Housing Corp.

The corporation will be responsible for developing a unified housing policy and will oversee rental assistance, homeownership promotion, homeless prevention, housing-related child care and hurricane recovery money for rebuilding rental housing.

The new entity will replace the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, which has been criticized for its dreadful handling of the Katrina cottage program. Gov. Jindal stripped the agency of that program in 2008 when the agency had produced no disaster housing two years after Congress allocated the resources.

The governor's office said that the new approach will lead to staff reductions and the elimination of multiple boards. The expectation is that the streamlining effort will lead to greater efficiency and provide more accountability. Shifting from five agencies to one won't automatically ensure that the programs are better run. But having a single board creating housing policies and monitoring programs would almost have to be more effective.