Association of Community Organizations For Reform Now (ACORN)

739 8th Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Tel: 202-547-2500
Fax: 202-546-2483
Toll Free : 1-877-55ACORN

Email: natacorndc@acorn.org
Web : www.acorn.org

Background:

ACORN is viewed as one of the nation's largest grassroots organizations of low and moderate- income families, with 150,000 "member" families in 750 neighborhood chapters located in 75 cities " including all of the major metro markets. This activist organization began its campaigns in 1970, and has gained a national reputation by focusing on first-time homebuyers; living wages for low-wage workers; investment in communities by banks and governments; public school improvements; and affordable housing for tenants.

ACORN is a leader in organizing social justice, environmental justice, health justice, and related issues campaigns, and in organizing drives for minority voter registration.  Specific areas of focus include: housing, school improvements, living wage, job development, neighborhood safety and community reinvestment.

Programs/Services:

ACORN was prominent in the "CRA" battles of the late 1980's and early 1990's. The group targeted the US league of Savings Institutions to demand cooperation from banks to provide loan data on low- and moderate-income communities and to ensure compliance with CRA. ACORN also waged a campaign in Congress to prevent the gutting of CRA regulations during the credit crunch and recession of 1991-92.

ACORN campaigned " via the ACORN Bank Summit" " against Continental, First Fidelity, PriMerit, Mellon banks to win concessions for low and moderate-income families. Citibank was a holdout when these banks signed agreements with ACORN to provide more loans. Citibank was then targeted by ACORN, as was Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

ACORN has also led the 1990s fight against insurance industry redlining in local neighborhoods. Allstate was a primary target. Sears was targeted as well. Allstate signed an agreement for a $10 million partnership with ACORN and NationsBank to grant below-market mortgages to low-income homebuyers. Travelers Insurance (now part of Citigroup) joined the program with a "Neighborhood and Home Safety Program," linking access to home insurance.

Predatory Lending Actions:

ACORN has been one of the most visible and aggressive of national organizations in the fight against predatory lending. Several years ago, it targeted Household International (HI) in a multi-faceted campaign against lending practices at that consumer finance company. The campaign used protests at HI offices, demonstrations at annual meetings,  shareholder resolutions, complaints with state regulators and lawsuits in several states. ACORN's activities drew national attention to lending practices at Household and eventually resulted in a settlement of ACORN lawsuits with Household.

Following its settlement with Household, ACORN continued to campaign against predatory lending and has focused on Wells Fargo with its national "Stop The Stagecoach" campaign. Included are demonstrations at Wells Fargo offices nationwide and the same tactics that it employed against Household.

In November 2001, ACORN published a report on lending practices entitled "Separate and Unequal " Predatory lending in America" that focused on lending activities in 60 metropolitan statistical areas. This followed the report "The Great Divide" and is update annually as ACORN's testament to unfair and discriminatory lending practices. ACORN accompanies this report, issued each October, with press releases in each of the metropolitan areas. It receives a great deal of media attention locally and nationally.

Refund Anticipation Loans:

ACORN is a leader in the effort to curb refund anticipation loans (RALs). In January 2004, ACORN organized protests at H&R Block offices in more than 50 cities around the country. "It's "Don't Be A Blockhead" campaign is designed to bring attention to interest rates and high fees that ACORN says exploit the working poor in the low income neighborhoods where many H&R Block offices are located. This effort has received broad national media coverage.

Living Wage:

ACORN is campaigning at the local and state levels to pass living-wage laws. These laws set higher minimum wages for the employees of companies benefiting from public contracts, subsidies, or actions, and in some cases also for direct government employees. ACORN is also working to pass across-the-board minimum-wage increases at the local, state, and federal levels. A higher minimum wage law was passed in Florida in November 2004. In December 2005, a minimum wage law was passed in Nassau County, NY, a suburban county adjacent to New York City.

Hurricane Katrina:

In December, 2005, ACORN launched the Home Clean-out Demonstration Program " with the goal of preserving and rebuilding thousands of homes in low-income neighborhoods, even as it fights for a comprehensive rebuilding plan. They are assembling crews of workers, many of them displaced New Orleans residents, to clean and stabilize homes in ACORN neighborhoods, which have been severely damaged. The workers are cleaning up trash, ripping out drywall, and putting tarps on roofs before the winter rains to prevent further deterioration.  The goal is to clean 1,000 homes.

 

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