Secretary Donovan speaks to homeowners seeking relief in Raleigh, North Carolina
President Obama takes on housing in his weekly address.
Bloomberg News notes that he is focused on eliminating “drag” from the market.
“…we can’t wait for Congress on these.” –Secretary Donovan
And the New York Times endorses the President’s refinancing plan.
Our guest blogger today is David Vos, Director, Office of HIV/AIDS Housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development posted an new rule that will be important in the fight against discrimination by ensuring that all HUD core programs are open to eligible persons regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status. This action will also support achievement of the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in helping to combat related stigma and discrimination due to HIV or perceived HIV. These serve as barriers in the prevention of HIV, especially for persons in unstable housing situations who have greater risks of infection. Stigma and discrimination are also barriers faced by persons living with HIV as shown in the tremendous disparities in their entry and retention in care. Secretary Shaun Donovan recently spoke about this new rule and other HUD actions to address LGBT housing discrimination issues at the 2012 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force “Creating Change” Conference. The Secretary stated “HUD is working to ensure that our housing programs are open to all” and that the rule states “clearly and unequivocally that LGBT individuals and couples have a right to live where they chose.” He also noted that the agency will work to provide training and guidance on this new rule. In acting together, with fair and equal access to housing, we can help create changes needed to achieve the promise shown in HIV care and treatment that we can live in an AIDS free generation. Continue reading
A little over two years ago, like so many other Americans, Adriane Punter lost her job.
With an eight-year-old daughter, Ms. Punter knew she had to do whatever it took not to lose her home too. With that in mind, she dutifully stayed current on her mortgage payments, using money from her unemployment benefits and support from North Carolina’s Mortgage Payment Program (MPP) to keep a roof over her children’s heads.
Now, two years later, Ms. Punter has finally found a job just as her MPP assistance expires. However, she knows that her income isn’t going be enough to cover her mortgage payments, car payments, and the expenses of raising her daughter.
Stories like Ms. Punter’s illustrate why Congress must pass President Obama’s plan to allow those who have played by the rules and made their mortgage payments to refinance their loans at today’s record-low interest rates.
Homeowners like Adriane Punter could save an average of $3,000 dollars a year with a refinancing at today’s rates. That’s hundreds of dollars a month more for food, car payments and utility bills. For so many families out there struggling to make ends meet, the relief offered by the President’s plan could make all the difference in the world.
Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling with Secretary Donovan to the beautiful state of North Carolina. Donovan had a number of events scheduled throughout the Raleigh-Durham area, beginning bright and early with an interview with one of Raleigh’s leading news stations, WRAL (link to video).
From there, we headed to the main event of the day, a press conference at Triangle Family Services (TFS), a housing counseling agency doing incredibly important work for North Carolinians every day.
Before speaking to the media, Donovan had the opportunity to drop in on a seminar being put on by TFS for families looking for a way to stay in their homes. “Having spent my life trying to help families facing similar situations,” Donovan told the assembled homeowners, “the truth is you have already taken the hardest step, and that’s the first time you reach out and ask for help.”
Later in the morning, we visited Raleigh’s newspaper of record, the News & Observer, for a meeting with editors and reporters covering real estate and housing and the result was a lively and substantive discussion about the President’s proposal to help families refinance.
Finally, that afternoon Secretary Donovan joined students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a Town Hall discussion. Donovan spent over an hour answering questions from students on topics ranging from sustainability in our urban planning to the President’s job plan for recent graduates. He was even asked to weigh in on the age-old “Duke or Carolina” debate (don’t worry, he nailed that one).
Throughout the day, we were impressed time and time again with the “southern hospitality” of our hosts at these different events. Secretary Donovan and the HUD team is already looking forward to his next visit to the Tarheel state.
President Obama continues his call for a return to American values, including fairness and equality, as part of his blueprint for an economy built to last.
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