FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
NCLR, NAACP, National CAPACD, and NUL to hold press conference to discuss impact
Washington, D.C.—In the midst of the nation’s worst housing crisis, Congress and the administration have decided to eliminate all funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Counseling Assistance Program. NCLR (National Council of La Raza), along with the NAACP, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), and the National Urban League (NUL), will hold a telephonic press conference this coming Monday, April 18, to discuss the impact that eliminating these funds will have on all families, particularly communities of color.
HUD’s Housing Counseling Assistance Program, which has had a history of bipartisan support because of its results-driven approach, is essential to helping families access information and guidance on homeownership, renting, reverse mortgages, foreclosure, and other financial concerns. By eliminating this program, nonprofits providing these free services will be forced to lay off skilled housing counseling staff and shut down counseling centers across the nation at a time when our housing crisis is at its peak. As a result, scam artists are likely to fill the void for families seeking foreclosure guidance, and real estate speculators will scoop up homes from would-be borrowers in the homeownership market.
MEDIA ADVISORY
WHO:
•Janis Bowdler, Director, Wealth-Building Policy Project, NCLR
• Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National CAPACD
• Cy Richardson, Vice President, Housing and Community Development, NUL
• Hilary Shelton, Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy, NAACP
WHAT:Telephonic press conference
WHEN: Monday, April 18, 2011, 1:30–2:30 p.m. EDT
WHERE:To join the telephonic press conference, dial (877) 273-4202 and enter the conference code 8885260.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:Please contact Julian Teixeira, Communications Director, NCLR, at jteixeira@nclr.org or (202) 776-1812 for questions or more information about this telephonic news conference.
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