HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program will assist the City of Atlanta with the City's current efforts to stabilize and preserve our communities most devastated by foreclosure. While foreclosure has been a huge city-wide problem, the neighborhoods hardest hit in Atlanta are Adair Park, Capitol View, English Avenue, Mechanicsville, Pittsburgh, Summerhill, Sylvan Hills, Vine City, Washington Heights, and West End. These funds will be used in these neighborhoods and throughout the City to assist in acquiring and redeveloping foreclosed properties, both single family and multi-family. Terri Lee, City of Atlanta Housing Director said, "This is an additional tool for the City to use so that we can address those impacted neighborhoods and begin to stabilize and revitalize our communities." Lee confirms that the City has been working with partners like the Atlanta Development Authority (ADA), Enterprise Community Partners, the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) and other neighborhood-based organizations to address the astounding foreclosure problem in Atlanta.
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said, "This is a great investment into a problem that is bound to get worst, as economic indicators continue to point to continued stress on the wallets and lives of everyday people. As Georgia unemployment is the highest it has been in eight years, food banks shelves are nearly bare, the cost of food, gas and healthcare exceed most people's incomes and the picture is not getting better any sooner."
HUD will issue specific rules and guidelines to assist communities in the administration of this new program later this month. City officials will participate in the HUD sponsored national housing summit in Washington, DC on October 7-8, as well as a series of regional conferences to explain the details of this new program. HUD is encouraging local governments receiving direct grants to coordinate with each other and with their state governments, to make the most effective use of the available funds.
To help combat the rise of foreclosures in metro Atlanta, NeighborWorks® America, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta (CCCS), Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) and United Way have joined together to establish the HOPE foreclosure prevention program and toll-free 1-888-995-4673 (HOPE) hotline.
The HOPE program consists of the toll-free HOPE hotline supplemented by face-to-face counseling provided by local NeighborWorks® organizations. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by expert counselors, who provide free, confidential advice for those facing foreclosure. Homeowners who want or need in-person counseling will be referred to organizations throughout the metro area. Counseling is available in English and Spanish.
What: 9th Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference
When: October 18, 2008; 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Georgia State University; Sports Arena
Who Should Attend: Students in grades 6 through 12; Parents and all School Staff and Faculty
Cost: FREE! Breakfast and lunch provided!
This event will be a great volunteer opportunity for us, and it will help us to learn more about the urban issues involved with the growing Latino population in Atlanta.
