PCUSA Washington Office Don't forget renters while helping homeowners with mortgage foreclosures, group tells Congress The Layman Online Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Renters are being ignored in efforts by Congress to help homeowners survive the spate of mortgage foreclosures, the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Washington Office says. An action alert on the Washington Office's Web site urges the public to write their federal lawmakers to take three actions: 1. "Support providing at least $300 million to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program – designated housing-related assistance to prevent homelessness from foreclosure. 2. "Support protecting renters in apartments or single-family dwellings from eviction for six months, after foreclosure or sale following foreclosure. 3. "Urge against any amendments unrelated to the current crisis intervention," such as "renewable-energy provisions or overhaul of the Federal Housing Authority. These would be better addressed in future legislation, and could prevent passage of current housing legislation." The issue is also addressed in an essay titled "Don't Leave Out Evicted Renters" in the Washington Office's "Witness in Washington Weekly" electronic newsletter released Monday. "Keep the most vulnerable among us from becoming homeless," the essay states. "In the book of Leviticus, we are commanded, 'If any of your kin fall into difficulty ... you shall support them. ... Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them,' (25:35-36)" the essay states. "Relief to homeowners has gained attention from Congress and the president, but the renters who are being affected by the mortgage foreclosure crisis are, on the whole, being ignored. "The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that some 30 percent of those being evicted because of foreclosure are renters, whose landlords defaulted on their mortgage loans. Legislation currently moving in Congress focuses tax-break assistance to businesses which have lost income and on homebuyers. "Evicted renter households will be the least able to find other affordable lodging, and are least likely to have the money for moving expenses, deposits and related costs," the essay states. "Households with income below the area median are unlikely to receive any benefit from a tax break. They also comprise the population most likely to face eviction when their home is lost to foreclosure on an apartment building or complex. "The needs of evicted renters, often among the most vulnerable and low-income among us, must be considered along with the other families who are falling victim to the crisis in home ownership," the essay states. "Several changes to the House and Senate housing bills have been proposed in order to prevent renters from becoming homeless." The essay then urges the public to write their members of the U.S. House and Senate, who are negotiating a conference report on the housing foreclosure crisis response bill, to take the three actions stated in the action alert. It provides a link to the action alert and concludes with three paragraphs of "General Assembly Guidance": "In 1964, the 176th General Assembly 'commend[ed] the Federal Government for its concern for housing for low-income and moderate-income families and for the elderly.' (Minutes, UPCUSA, 1964, p. 310). Later, in 1989, the General Assembly recognized affordable housing as a problem affecting both low- and moderate-income people. It called for the entire church to be involved in seeking solutions to the problem through a combination of public and private initiatives (Minutes, PCUSA, 1989, p. 521). "Finally, in 1998, the 210th General Assembly 'call[ed] upon Presbyterian churches to work with policy makers to create fair and just economic and housing policies, and to create funding to implement those policies, which will benefit every citizen of this nation, including the poor and homeless.' (Minutes, PCUSA, 1998, p. 683). "Presbyterians are also invited to review the report, 'From Homelessness to Hope: Constructing Just, Sustainable Communities for All God's People,' which will be considered by the 218th General Assembly this summer in San Jose, Calif. Click http://www.pcusa.org/acswp/pdf/ga218/homelessness-hope-oga8.pdf (32 pp. PDF)."

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