Matthew Brian Hersh

326 Posts

Matthew Brian Hersh served as senior editor at Shelterforce from March 2008 to October 2012. He studied English at Rutgers University and has spent his professional career in journalism, policy, and politics.
Organizing

Will the Occupy Wall Street Crackdowns Energize or Deflate the Movement?

Last week we asked you how the widespread crackdowns on the Occupy Wall Street protests would affect the movement. More than half of respondents thought the movement would be energized, […]

Housing

Do You Incorporate Green Building Principles Into Your Development Work?

Last week, we asked if you about adhering to green building principles in your development work and the response was unanimous: you do, and you told us why! See selected […]

Organizing

Bringing the Occupy Movement to the Community

As the Occupy Wall Street protests continue in public settings all across the country, it’s interesting to watch how the movement begins to take shape at the community level as […]

Housing

Ending Veteran Homelessness

Now that the narrative has slowly — slowly — changed from a cuts-only policy perspective to something more nuanced, complex, equitably-minded discussion (thanks, in part, to movements like The New […]

Organizing

Is Homelessness an Occupy Wall Street Issue?

In her recent Mother Jones column, Barbara Ehrenreich writes “What the Occupy Wall Streeters are beginning to discover, and homeless people have known all along, is that most ordinary, biologically […]

Housing

Is It Important to Save the 30-year Fixed-Rate Mortgage?

Last week, we asked you to share your thoughts on preserving the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Here’s how you responded. Selected reader comments at the break. You said: “The stability and […]

Housing

What are your thoughts on proposed changes to HARP to help out underwater borrowers?

Last week, we asked readers “What are your thoughts on proposed changes to HARP to help out underwater borrowers?” Here’s how you responded: You said: “While it is a good […]

Organizing

Politics the Wellstone Way

A few years ago, Dave Beckwith, executive director of the Needmor Fund, wrote in Shelterforce about The ABCs of Organizing that offered an overview of some important books on organizing […]

Community Development Field

Have you participated in any bank accountability/economic justice demonstrations?

Last week, we asked readers “Have you participated in any bank accountability/economic justice demonstrations through New Bottom Line, Occupy Wall Street, or similar groups?” Here’s how you responded: You said: […]

Community Development Field

How do you feel about the proposed QRM rule that would exempt banks from retaining risk on mortgages

Results of the Shelterforce poll of October 12, 2011 Click continued for more results You said: “20 percent is far more than necessary to protect banks against defaults and would […]

Housing

Challenging Markets, Innovative Financing

A contract-for-deed program making headway in North Minneapolis offers another look at how using the CLT model to offer potential homeowners once saddled with bad credit can turn into an […]

Community Development Field

10-5-11 Poll: Should nonprofits manage scattered site rentals?

Selected feedback. You said: “Yes. It’s been my experience that nonprofits often do and should manage scattered site rental units. This is an especially good idea if the nonprofit has […]