Landlords protest rental subsidy cuts. (Focus: Real Estate)

A new program to provide low-income people with rental subsidies is drawing fire from landlords who find the measure a poor substitute for what was known as the 707 Rental Assistance Program.

"It's stupid, financially," said Gioia DeCarlo, "because it's only going to cost the state more if these people have to go out into motels or shelters."

"And besides," said DeCarlo, who lives in Ashland and rents her condominium in Dorchester to a low-income family under the state subsidy program, "it's mean."

"I think the commonwealth is being penny-wise and pound-foolish," said Hugh Kelly, general manager of KBC Associates. "The thing just doesn't make any sense."

Frances Shifman, president of the Rental Housing Association and a partner in S-C Management Corp. of Brookline, added, "When people are having a difficult time paying their bills, and there is a huge amount of homelessness, and there's a crisis in regard to affordable housing and low-income people, and people have lost their jobs and have had …