A View From D. C.

A recent report by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies stated the recent foreclosure crisis is affecting the rental market more deeply than has been reported and calls for the purchasing of foreclosed property as one remedy to help increase the supply of affordable housing.

America’s Rental Housing, The Key to a Balanced National Policy was released this year before Congress passed legislation in response to the foreclosure crisis. This legislation includes assistance which provides funds to local governments to purchase property subject to foreclosure. Key points raised in the report include the following:

The current mortgage crisis will increase the number of households seeking affordable rental units;
The high cost of housing is forcing families to make sacrifices in other areas such as food to make ends meet;
Financing for new construction and preservation of rental housing will increase;
Many of the neighborhoods affected contain the most vulnerable population;
Renters are more diverse today due to increases in the immigrant, minority and elderly populations;
The increase in the number of new units is concentrated in areas too expensive for low-income renters to live;
State and local governments need to remove barriers to affordable housing such as zoning restrictions, minimum lot sizes and lengthy permitting and approval processes.

The report concludes with a call for comprehensive housing assistance to include things like transportation, child care, and access to quality health care and efforts to ensure low income families can earn decent wages.

"Five Fundamentals Campaign" Launched

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty has developed a tool kit for advocates to use in securing a pledge from candidates seeking public office at levels to support the Five Fundamentals to Prevent and End Homelessness. Joining the law center in this effort is the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National AIDS Housing Coalition, the National Alliance to End Homelessness http://www.endhomelessness.org/ , the National Center on Family Homelessness, and the National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness . The toolkit is not designed to endorse a particular candidate but is to be used to educate those seeking office on the types of policies needed to address homelessness.

Campaign 2008

Within the next few weeks, each presidential candidate will select his running mate. Adding our two cents to the discussion, aviewfromdc believes Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is the two best choices for Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. Both men help secure their respective party’s base and in any election a secure base is the foundation to victory. Once the foundation is set, the candidate then builds a coalition around that foundation.

As stated in the media, Biden provides Obama with the foreign policy experience lacking from his dossier. In addition to his appeal to the blue collar and Catholic constituencies, Biden has the perfect junkyard dog personality to take on attacks from Republicans. He can be for Obama what Vice President Dick Cheney has been to President George Bush – a hatchet man when the need for one arises. Yes, Biden tends to stick his foot in his mouth but God bless him. He is a secure enough person he is likely to bring his own ketchup when he does stick his foot in his mouth.

Huckabee helps McCain secure the evangelical base. He is a Baptist minister, clearly a social conservative and one the evangelical community will trust to keep McCain’s feet to the fire. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has shifted too much on issues such as abortion and gay marriage to be trusted by evangelicals. While there is speculation Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor or South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham have received much attention, it doesn’t strike aviewfromdc each brings enough to the table. McCain has yet to secure his base but Huckabee seems to be the best option to help in this effort.

Interesting reads

2008 Presidential Election

Op-Ed Columnist

The Candidate We Still Don’t Know

By Frank Rich, New York Times

Op-Ed Columnist

How About the Home Front?

By Bob Herbert, New York Times

If Elected ...

Rivals Differ (a Bit) on Financial Market Rules

By Jackie Calmes, New York Times

Election 2008 Latest Polls

Realclearpolitics.com

In a Changing Corner of Pa., a Glimpse of Obama's Age Problem

By Alec MacGillis, Washington Post Staff Writer

Voter Registration Is the New Battleground

By Corey Dade and John D. McKinnon, The Wall Street Journal

The Front-Runner’s Fall

Hillary Clinton’s campaign was undone by a clash of personalities more toxic than anyone imagined. E-mails and memos—published here for the first time—reveal the backstabbing and conflicting strategies that produced an epic meltdown.

by Joshua Green, The Atlantic Monthly

Miscellaneous

A Teachable Moment

By Paul Tough, New York Times Magazine

Minority America

By Joel Kotkin, Newgeography.com

Housing and Community Development

The Debt Trap

Home Equity Frenzy Was a Bank Ad Come True

By Louise Story, New York Times

Cleveland sues banks over foreclosures

‘We have to hold accountable those who are responsible,’ mayor claims