On September 13, Louisiana community leaders, advocates, and housing experts traveled to the Nation’s Capital to meet with White House officials about implementing the necessary solutions to the housing crisis that has enveloped Louisiana.

American families continue to face a crisis in housing, with 2 million foreclosure filings this year, and millions more at risk. Over 15 million homeowners are underwater, meaning that their home is worth less than they owe on their mortgage.

Close to 60,000 homeowners faced foreclosure in Louisiana from 2009-2012, according to the Center for Responsible Lending.  While the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center’s homeownership protection program works to provide delinquency and default counseling to individuals in trouble, systemic issues must be addressed.

The crisis is rooted in wrongdoings by lenders and Wall Street, as well as inadequate rules and enforcement. The misconduct included predatory sub-prime lending, bundling and pawning off flawed mortgages, and targeting of senior citizens, veterans, and communities of color. The subsequent harms have been amplified by a lack of accountability.  Those forces, combined with on-going disaster recovery and the recent impacts of Hurricane Isaac, bring housing stability to a crisis point and continue to jeopardize our economic recovery.

The White House invited James Perry, Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, to discuss Louisiana priorities and possible solutions to the crisis moving forward. He was joined by over 150 other advocates and experts from across the country.

After the White House meeting, participants visited the offices of Senators Landrieu and Vitter to urge them to lead legislative solutions to Louisiana housing priorities.

After returning from the meeting, Perry commented,  “I was pleased to share solutions with White House officials that will address the housing crisis, restore our economies and rebuild our economy.  It was so important to know that the Obama Administration has an interest in what’s happening in Louisiana, where thousands of homeowners are still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Isaac”.

To arrange interviews with invitees, contact James Perry at (504) 208-5040.

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