Washington, DC — John Taylor, President & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) today made this statement about proposals in Congress for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and federal agency proposals on the Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM): “How we address Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the definition of the Qualified Residential Mortgage, will […]
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Reinvestment Works: Spring 2011 Read More »
Washington, DC — John Taylor, president & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) today made this statement about the anticipated House vote to terminate the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP):
“Given the fragile state of the economy, Congress and the Administration need to stop procrastinating and create proposals that actually solve the country’s financial problems, 
not ignore them. Congress’ decision this week to eliminate HAMP does nothing but cause further agony to the millions of hard-working families who are on the brink of losing their homes.”
“If anything, Congress should be debating how HAMP can be reengineered and improved. The Administration also needs to step up, and take a hard line to ensure that the industry meets the requirements of the program. And our government needs to stop tip-toeing around the housing crisis and start addressing it head-on with concrete, actionable solutions that lend a hand to the American people rather than providing yet another escape hatch for Wall Street.”
Elimination of HAMP Would Only Prolong the Foreclosure Agony Read More »
Washington, DC — John Taylor, President & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) today made this statement on proposals to eliminate housing programs before the House Financial Services’ Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity:
“The failure of Congress to mandate foreclosure assistance programs that address the whole magnitude of the crisis is a reason to do more, instead of nothing. A vacuum of leadership on foreclosures will be filled by these reckless and heartless proposals unless the Administration and the rest of Congress step up, and not continue to penny ante and punt. Only twisted thinking concludes that leaving people to fend for themselves when they are kicked out of their homes is the correct solution to our economic woes. Simply put, it will make a terrible problem even worse. The real cost of these housing programs is in the lost opportunity to expand their scope. Given the fragile state of our economy, we need proposals that solve the problem, not ignore it; if we don’t, I fear we’ll be having this same debate years from now.
Eliminating Housing Programs Will Make a Bad Problem Worse Read More »
Washington, DC — The following is a statement from John Taylor, President & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), on the Administration’s plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:
“The only measure for the success of this plan is whether or not all creditworthy borrowers have the opportunity to purchase a home. If working class families are locked out of homeownership, and we end up with a housing finance system that serves only the well-heeled, then we will have failed miserably.
“Historically, working class people have had access to private sector capital in order to purchase a home, with guarantees by the government to ensure affordability. The Administration’s plan, by emphasis and omission, suggests that this country’s commitment to ensuring homeownership for working families will be lessened.
Fannie Freddie Plan Must Not Lock Working Families Out Of Homes Read More »
Ensuring affordable housing for millions of Americans should not be sole responsibility of the government
Washington, DC — John Taylor, President & CEO, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, made this statement today on Administration and Congressional proposals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:”Privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will exacerbate problems in the housing market, not solve them. We must recognize that for 95% of Fannie and Freddie’s history they did a great job in assisting millions of Americans to purchase a home. If they go away, I fear we’ll see two marketplaces — one for the well heeled, and a more costly system of finance for everyone else.
“If the private market will enjoy the benefit of government guarantees, then there must be a strong duty to serve the affordable housing needs of the country. Putting Wall Street in the driver seat without adequate oversight and a commitment to affordable housing would be a mistake. We still don’t have adequate funding and authority for oversight by the SEC and other agencies to ensure that they behave responsibly.
Addressing economic insecurity of older adults through regional organizing and advocacy groups
Washington, DC — The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), with support from Atlantic Philanthropies, is pleased to announce its 2011 Request for Proposals (RFP) for National Neighbors Silver, an initiative to support and empower older adults nationwide.
As the United States suffers from historically high rates of foreclosure and unemployment, older adults across the nation are not only more numerous than past generations, but also more susceptible to financial insecurity and instability. Many older adults who lost their jobs during the economic crisis have been pushed out of the workforce and into early retirement.
“Many older Americans face new challenges in this economic environment. The sharp reduction in the value of most seniors’ primary asset — their home — means that many are now especially susceptible to financial insecurity. The National Neighbors Silver initiative will support participating regional organizations to directly tackle the root causes of the unique economic challenges faced by America’s older citizens,” said John Taylor, president and CEO of NCRC.
NCRC Announces RFP for Initiative to Empower Older Adults Read More »
Going Forward, Two Big Lessons Learned: Don’t Put the Fox in the Henhouse, and Regulation Matters
Washington, DC — John Taylor, President and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, released this statement today about the Financial 
Crisis Inquiry Commission report and proposals to return the government-sponsored entities to the private sector without affordable housing goals:
This report puts the blame where it belongs on Wall Street and the federal regulators who looked the other way. It also puts to rest the myth that making capital available to low or moderate-income borrowers was a cause of the crisis.
While the report may be a day late and a dollar short, the lessons going forward are that regulators need the authority and the resources to stay on top of financial innovations and make sure risk taking does not become reckless. The other very important lesson is that regulation matters when it comes to protecting consumers. There is an appropriate and necessary federal role in ensuring access to capital and markets for nontraditional borrowers, which is why the affordable housing goals must remain a part of the mission of the government-sponsored entities.
FCIC Report Puts Blame Where It Belongs: On Wall Street & Regulators Read More »
NCRC’s Housing Counseling Network joins DC program to provide foreclosure prevention counseling to the unemployed
Washington, DC— the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Housing Counseling Network (NCRC HCN), a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified housing counseling organization, announced that it will provide housing counseling under the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency’s (DCHFA) HomeSaver program. The DCHFA program will provide foreclosure prevention to an estimated 1,000 unemployed DC homeowners, and is funded by the $1.5 billion dollar Hardest Hit Fund Initiative created by the Obama administration last year.
The Hardest Hit Fund Reaches DC Residents via Newly Launched HomeSaver Program Read More »
By: Lori Ann LaRocco CNBC Sr. Talent Producer Published: Monday, 29 Nov 2010 | 10:17 AM ET Â The foreclosure crisis still divides us into two camps. There are those who believe that foreclosing rapidly on homes subject to defaulted mortgages is vital to clearing the market. Others believe we should do everything we can
John Taylor: Foreclosures Are the Mortal Enemy to Economic Recovery Read More »
NCRC’s Housing Counseling Network Offers Loan Modification and Financial Assistance to Homeowners Are you struggling to make your mortgage payments? Are you unable to refinance? Are you upside on your mortgage? Are you late paying your mortgage? Â If you answer “YES” to any of the following above, you may be in danger of facing
HCN Offers Assistance to DC Residents Read More »
Washington, DC – A new report from the Congressional Oversight Panel shows that the Administration’s leading foreclosure prevention program, the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), will modify less than 5% of the loans that will go into foreclosure by program end. An estimated 8 to 13 million foreclosures will take place by 2012. The report
While HAMP Program Continues to Fail, Treasury Hides the Ball Read More »
Impact from Foreclosure Crisis Expanding, Churches Feeling the Pain As Thanksgiving Comes Washington, DC – Dozens of faith leaders today joined Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., in calling for congressional action to address the foreclosure crisis and to strengthen and enforce the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), in order to stabilize communities nationwide that have been
