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Organizing
Community development relies on policies, resources, and recognition that were won by decades of organizing—and organizing remains essential to face new threats, preserve existing wins, and continue to fight back against the big lie that the way things are is inevitable.
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How State Coalitions Are Advancing Community Ownership of Housing
In recent years, housing coalitions promoting community land trusts and real estate cooperatives have formed in multiple cities and states—and they are achieving results. Nonetheless, a lot of work is needed to achieve the policy changes these groups desire.
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The Barney Frank Challenge
Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the house Financial Services Committee, sits down with Shelterforce to discuss consumer protection, the future of Fannie and Freddie, the role of FHA, and rental housing and offers a challenge to advocates looking to effect change on the federal level.
What Kind of Community Organizations and for What Purpose?
We expect the “solutions” to social problems to be found within the community, and yet community groups, more often than not, work beyond their communities’ boundaries. Why? Because they see the reality that if social and economic justice are to be realized in a community, then changes that are larger than the community must take place.
How Did the Media Fail ACORN and Organizing?
Organizing has been under attack for years, but this time around, the media has been directly complicit in severely damaging one of most influential advocates for low- and moderate-income families in the country. How did the media miss the real story behind the assault on ACORN?
ESOP Rises Again
The success of a Cleveland-based community organizing group in the face of massive foreclosures suggests that the city (and the nation) should have held on to a more diverse set of community organizations.
How to Overcome the Current Limitations in Theory and Practice
Our forthcoming book, Contesting Community, outlines several propositions in the closing chapter that have been put in place in various ways by the organizations we discuss here. The groups act […]
In Chicago, a Partial Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis?
This week Chicago Alderman Pat Dowell, at the request of Action Now, the former Illinois chapter of Acorn, which broke away in 2008, and their allies, like Southwest Organizing Project, […]
NHI’s John Atlas to Discuss New ACORN Book
John Atlas, a founder of the National Housing Institute and Shelterforce, will appear today in the 1 p.m. hour (eastern) on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show to discuss his new book, […]
Helping Johnny (and Joanie) Walk to School
“Aside from reduced CO2, less traffic time and health advantages, the most important benefit of walk to school programs is teaching children self-reliance.” The quote comes from architect and urbanist […]
ACORN: The New York Times, Lies, and Videotape
The New York Times hit ACORN with a one-two punch last weekend, making sure that the community organizing group — flattened by attacks from the right and withdrawal of funding […]
ACORN Facing Significant Problems
With state and local chapters of ACORN all over the country considering forming their own groups as the national organizing feels the effects of months and year of right wing […]
Join Shelterforce, NHI, and Rooflines on Facebook!
Do you dabble around on Facebook? Of course you do! So why not become a fan of the National Housing Institute for a streamlined, up-to-the-minute source of news, opinion, and […]
The New Generation of Organizers
The progressive movement is seeing a resurgence of younger organizers thanks, in part, to the “Obama effect” of the 2008 campaign, and a renewed attempt to articulate values and build authentic relationships.