For Immediate Release:
Thursday June 28,2007                                      

Contact: Germonique Jones 202-339-9332; Cheryl Aguilar 202-339-9316

Renowed Housing Trust Fund Authority and Autor of Recent Report Joins Other Experts as they Speak Out on Significant Introduction of National Legislation

What: Telephonic press conference sponsored by the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign

When: Thursday June 28, 2007

Who: Mary Brooks, Director of the Housing Trust Fund Project at the Center for Community Change
          Shelia Crowley, President of the National Low Incom Housing Coalition
          Maria Cabildo, President of the East Los Angeles Community Corporation
          R.T. Rybak, Mayor of Minneapolis
          Blair Sebastian, Executive Director, New York State Rural Housing Coalition

How: Call 1-866-878-4191, Conference Code: 686-5124

(Washington, DC) Following the introduction to the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 today by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA), Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN), among others, long time low-income housing activist and author of a recent Housing Trust Fund progress report, Mary E. Brooks, will join other experts to speak on the significance of this legislation during a phone briefing for media.

Brooks has more than 30 years of research under her belt on the development of housing trust funds throughout the country. Her experience has credited her as the authority on the issue, being cited in numerous publications and helping community groups nationwide set up Housing Trust Funds in cities and states across the country.

The 2007 Housing Trust Fund Progress Report written by Brooks showed nearly 600 housing trust funds in states, counties and cities across the country contribute a total of $1.6 billion each year to address affordable housing. The number of housing trust funds has tripled in the last four years. This comprehensive report is the first of its kind in at least five years and provides a breakdown of housing trust funds by state, county and city.

To RSVP for the call or more information and for copies of the report, e-mail Germonique Jones at gjones@www.communitychange.org or Cheryl Aguilar at caguilar@www.communitychange.org