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Published: February 2011

Unemployed homeowners are left in the dust, while HUD waits

Coalition: Housing

Consumer Action and its coalition partners send a strong letter to Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, urging him to quickly implement the Emergency Homeowner Loan Program.

Below is the full text of the letter:

We are writing to ask that you move quickly to implement the Emergency Homeowner Loan Program. We are extremely disappointed that the EHLP is not operational at this time. The program, which is designed to aid unemployed homeowners, was overdue when it was enacted in July 2010. By that time the national unemployment rate had been over 9.4% for 15 consecutive months and currently there are still 14.5 million Americans or 9.4% of the population officially unemployed.

We have engaged in discussions with HUD and the Administration on operating a bridge loan program for the unemployed since 2009 and you have had over five months since the enactment of the EHLP to put forward regulations. However, we still have no program or ability for homeowners to apply for assistance.

As you know, each month thousands more lose their homes. Realty Trac expects close to 100,000 repossessions in January and expects a record quarter for foreclosures in the first quarter of 2011.

We know that a new program needs care in design, but this foreclosure crisis is too severe for such a slow pace of implementation, particularly in light of the fact that all funds must be obligated by September 30, 2011. These funds must all be spent to protect homes from foreclosure.

We believe that HUD needs to work around the clock to make this program operational as quickly as possible. Too many American families are desperately in need of the program at this time and this promised aid must be rushed to them in their moment of need.

Lead Organization

Philadelphia Unemployment Project

Other Organizations

Action Housing Inc | Pittsburgh Alliance to Develop Power | MA AFL-CIO | Americans for Financial Reform | Asian American Justice Center | Brooklyn Congregations United, Brooklyn NY | Campaign for America's Future | Center for Responsible Lending | Cheryl Jacobs Law Group |PC Colorado Progressive Coalition | Communications Workers of America | Communication Workers of America, District 13 | Communities Creating Opportunity Kansas City, MO | Communities United for Change, Cincinnati, OH | Community Legal Services, Inc. Philadelphia | Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Delaware Valley | Consumer Union | Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization, Contra Costa, CA | Empire Justice Center, NY | Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh | Grass Roots Organizing Missouri | HomeFree-USA | Homeownership Counseling Association of Delaware Valley | Illinois Peoples Action | International Union, United Auto Workers UAW | Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement | Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | Mahoning Valley Organization Collaborative, OH | May Day New Orleans | Metanoia Centers Inc. Campaign, IL | Miami Valley Full Employment Council, Dayton, OH | Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, PA | National Association of Consumer Advocates | National Association of Neighborhoods | National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development | National Community Reinvestment Coalition | National Council of La Raza | National Economic and Social Rights Initiative | National Employment Law Project | National Fair Housing Alliance | National Law Center on Homeless and Poverty | National People's Action | National Urban League | Nazareth Housing Services | Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County, PA | New Kensington CDC, Philadelphia Pennsylvania | AFL-CIO Pennsylvania Council of Churches | Philadelphia Association of CDCs | Philadelphia Unemployment Project | Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition | Philadelphia VIP PICO National Network PUSH Buffalo Regional Housing Legal Services, Glenside, PA Save Our Homes Coalition, Philadelphia Service Employees International Union, SEIU South Asian Coalition, Chicago, IL Southeast PA Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Syracuse United Neighbors, Syracuse, NY West Oak Lane CDC, Philadelphia Western States Center WIN Action Organizing Project, Cincinnati, OH

More Information

Unemployed Homeowners: EHLP Is on the Way

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