A white paper released by the Fed that offered ways to revive the housing industry has drawn the ire of…
Author: John Henneberger
I started my commitment to housing justice for people and communities with low incomes in 1975 in Austin's Clarksville community. These years of working side-by-side with dedicated community leaders to find solutions to housing and community development challenges have taught me some things and I’m learning new things every day.$141M in Texas foreclosure settlement funds should be used to prevent more foreclosures
The Obama Administration and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced last week a $26 billion foreclosure settlement between the five biggest…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 2-14-2012
Although big banks are forfeiting $26 billion to settle with the federal government over fraud charges, the main change will…
HUD plays Grinch with its poorest tenants
A single mother with two children in Texas is potentially eligible to receive $260 per month from Temporary Assistance for…
In Texas state government the tail wags the dog in affordable housing policy
A citizen might expect the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Board of Directors to spend most of…
The Texas affordable housing problem made simple
The Texas affordable housing problem in three sentences: 1) The poorest Texans have the hardest time finding housing they can…
New study shows 3 in 4 poor Texas families spend more than half of income for rent
Brace yourself for more bad news about the crisis in affordable rental housing for the poor in Texas. This study…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 2-7-2012
Present negotiations with big banks over reconciliation of sleazy mortgages would turn much of the enforcement over to states. Thus…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 2-14-2012
Although big banks are forfeiting $26 billion to settle with the federal government over fraud charges, the main change will…
Hurricane Ike and Dolly home reconstruction drags on at unacceptable rates
According to a State of Texas report covering the period through January 31 2012, only 38 percent of houses destroyed…
HUD rejects City of Houston fair housing effort
HUD has rejected the City of Houston’s fair housing plan known as the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI).…
President Obama proposes $1B for National Housing Trust Fund
The White House this morning released details of President Obama’s, “Plan to Help Responsible Homeowners and Heal the Housing Market.”…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 1-31-2012
Reporters snooping into Freddie Mac’s business dealings discover that the quasi-governmental organization makes money by screwing homeowners it’s supposed to…
Department of Justice sues local government for multifamily housing ban
The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit against St. Bernard Parish, La., alleging that the parish violated the Fair…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 1-24-2012
A settlement between big banks and the government is expected this week. Homeowners screwed by robo-signing and other sleazy scams…
Dallas fumbles in the absence of a housing policy
Housing segregation is a problem most Texas communities struggle with. Crippled by a lack of political courage and leadership no…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 1-17-2012
Foreclosure rates dropped by a third last year — but not because of better financial times for homeowners. Fearing federal …
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 1-10-2012
Anticipating a done-deal, government prosecutors are expanding an offer to banks to drop charges in exchange for billions of dollars…
DMN editorial says paper will push housing in 2012
An editorial in today’s Dallas Morning News says the paper will editorially push two housing issues on the editorial pages…
Loren Berlin, former TxLIHIS staffer, named housing reporter at Huffington Post
Loren Berlin, who formerly worked at TxLIHIS on the Housing Texas campaign, tells us she has been named the housing…
Bo McCarver’s weekly housing news compilation, 1-3-2012
As desperate families jostle for position in lines for public housing, Congress slashes federal housing programs by $3.8 billion. The…
Housing News Clips – December 2011
Tuesday Report, Dec. 27, 2011 Special to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service Corruption in the nation’s banking industry…
Housing News Clips – November 2011
Tuesday Report, Nov. 1, 2011 Special to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service As retribution for sleazy mortgage deals,…
Housing News Clips – October 2011
Tuesday Report, Oct. 4, 2011 Special to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service The federal program to rescue “underwater”…
Bo McCarver’s weekly news compilation, 9-20-2011
Mortgage defaults soar as bankers bear down on marginal borrowers. The 33 percent spike comes as Bank of America loses…
Couple lives in tent waiting for Ike-damaged home’s repair | khou.com Houston
Just when you think you have seen the worst government can do to Hurricane Ike victims along comes this story.…
Fewer than 500 Texas homes repaired in three years since Hurricane Ike
Official figures from the State of Texas show that fewer than 500 homes have been repaired or rebuilt under the…
On 3rd anniversary 200 tell Houston City Council reforms are needed in Hurricane Ike recovery program
The following testimony was presented before the Houston City Council on the third anniversary of Hurricane Ike, September 13, 2011.
Protesters say city slow to repair Ike-damaged houses – Houston Chronicle
Bearing photos of homes that still have blue tarps on the roofs, more than 100 protesters held a rally at…
Senior’s city-built home lacked insulation – Houston Chronicle
After months of delay in getting its housing repair program under way, Houston’s housing department was eager last month to…