Reagan and the family
Reagan has reduced federal aid for lower-income housing from $28 billion to $9 billion. The results have been felt by Deborah Williams, a black Harlem woman and mother of four living in a “hotel” for homeless people one block south of 42nd St. which runs through Times Square.
“As the walls rotted, rats slithered in through holes. I stayed up every night watching them, but they got away anyway. Latisha [one of her daughters] was bit bad on her arms. We was all bit except the baby. The rats was smart, they did not go near the traps. They used to eat up all my food, all the kids’ clothing.”