November 2009

  • The War on ACORN

    The political and media war against ACORN continues. In an article published today on the Web site of Editor & Publisher, the well-known magazine about journalism and for journalists, Chris Martin and I ask, “Have the Media Falsely Framed ACORN?”…

  • Homeowner, Meet Your Lender

    The reconciliation that takes place Thursday mornings at Philadelphia City Hall is not some attempt to further prove that Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love, it’s part of a citywide program that allows homeowners in danger of defaulting on…

  • Stim Tracking: Let’s Get This Part Right

    You’ve probably seen the reports that highlight some pretty ridiculous inaccuracies on the federal government’s very own virtual stim-tracking tool, Recovery.gov, including listing 440 non-existent Congressional districts, and other geographical errors in highlighting the successes of the $787 billion stimulus.…

  • “An Antiforeclosure Plan That Works”

    Dean Baker, co-director for the Washington, DC-based Center for Economic and Policy Research will present his case in the Winter 2009 issue of Shelterforce for a homeowner’s right to rent in an effort to reduce the impact of the ongoing…

  • ACORN Turns Up The Volume

    In September, when Congress voted to ban federal funds for ACORN, it was clear, if it hadn’t been already, that the organization had emerged as a political liability. ACORN had sustained right-wing attacks for years, but at this point, even its more progressive allies wouldn’t give the organization the time of day. But now, ACORN is challenging that Congressional ban in federal aid in the courts, saying it was unfairly targeted — singled out — by the resolution, with Congress taking punitive action “without an investigation.” The cut in federal aid, while originally portrayed by ACORN as a minor hit to the organization, has reportedly resulted in layoffs within the organization, and cuts in programming, including counseling for homeowners facing foreclosure or struggling to pay bills. Exacerbating the loss of federal funding is the increasing number of long-time supporters distancing themselves from the organization. At the time of ACORN’s loss of federal funds, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said in a statement that the move to cut ACORN funding, in the form of an amendment to a bill on college lending, was a “blatant violation of the Constitution’s prohibition against Bills of Attainder — referring to legislation crafted for punitive purposes: “Congress must not be in the business of punishing individual organizations or people without trial, and that’s what this Amendment does. Whatever one may think of an organization, the Constitution’s clear ban on Bills of Attainder is there for the protection of all of our liberties.” The lawsuit names as defendants Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, according to The New York Times. more

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    ‘Housing First’ Offers Hope for Homeless Veterans, Others

    On this Veterans Day, when we remember those who have served, it is troubling to note that, although veterans make up around 9 percent of our population, they comprise 23 percent of our homeless population and fully a third of…

  • The Right To Rent

    Fannie Mae this week announced its Deed for Lease Program that effectively allows qualifying homeowners with Fannie Mae mortgages facing foreclosure the opportunity to rent their home at market rate for up to a year. The move was the latest…

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    Enviros Lacking In Indianapolis Redevelopment Push

    Last week I had the honor of being one of seven smart growth types recruited by the American Institute of Architects to work with the city of Indianapolis and community residents on the model revitalization of a distressed urban neighborhood.…

  • Housing: Code for Social, Economic, and Racial Integration

    Last week, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey celebrated its 20th anniversary in New Brunswick, New Jersey’s humble urban area in the center of the the state. The mood was celebratory, at times raucous, at times reflective,…