Catholic Charities USA Briefs Congress on "Our Nation’s Housing Crisis"

For Immediate Release:

May 4, 2009

Catholic Charities USA Briefs Congress on “Our Nation’s Housing Crisis”    

Alexandria, VA– Catholic Charities USA will present a briefing on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 to hear from individuals addressing the national housing crises. Local and national leaders will present short and long term strategies to expand affordable housing, reduce homelessness, and address the current foreclosure crisis.

At this time, Catholic Charities USA will also release a new policy paper, The Home is the Foundation. This paper outlines new strategies, partnerships, and innovative thinking to help create safe and affordable housing for all. To view "The Home is the Foundation" go to: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1590

Topics will include

• Impact of the current recession on affordable housing development

• Strategies to meet the rise of homelessness in communities

• The role of the federal government in creating affordable housing for the most vulnerable

• Strategies to help keel more economically stressed families in their homes. 

The moderator for the briefing will be Rev Larry Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA.. Speakers include John Tynan, Executive Director, Progress of People Development – Catholic Charities, Brooklyn/Queens NY; Linda Couch, Deputy Director, National Low Income Housing Coalition; Kristin Ortman, Director of Communication, Catholic Charities, Chicago, and Marie Clay, Consumer, Catholic Charities Eastern Virginia.

Catholic Charities USA thanks Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for his support in making this event possible.

About Catholic Charities USA

Catholic Charities USA’s members—nearly 1,700 local agencies and institutions nationwide—provide help and create hope for nearly 8 million people of all faiths and social and economic backgrounds. For more than 280 years, local Catholic Charities agencies have been providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day care and counseling to food and housing. For more information, visit http://www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

Contact: Patricia Hvidston, Sr. Vice President, Development and Communications