CRL Calls $16 Million HUD Grant to ACORN “Insulting”

The Consumers Rights League (CRL) today released the following the announcement that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has authorized $16 million grant to the ACORN Housing Corporation (AHC) through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. The ACORN family of organizations has a decades-long history of voter fraud, embezzlement, and misuses of taxpayer funds. ACORN is currently under investigation in over a dozen states for possible voter registration fraud.

James Terry, Chief Public Advocate, Consumers Rights League:

“It is absolutely appalling and irresponsible for HUD to give even a single penny to this organization without a proper investigation of apparently ongoing misuses of taxpayer funds. But to grant them another $16 million, making them one of the largest recipients of taxpayer funds from this program is just outright insulting to the American public.”

“ACORN was a major player in the development of the regulatory structure that brought about the subprime crisis and under the guise of consumer counseling, AHC reaped substantial profit from selling many of the same exotic loan products that are causing some consumers to lose their homes. Now this organization is set to receive millions more to purportedly help consumers get out of the very same mess that AHC helped get them in.”

“Worse yet, there is significant evidence to indicate that ACORN has been illegally using taxpayer funds for their political operation.  Our report, affidavits from former employees and even an internal report by ACORN’s own lawyer lays out evidence that taxpayer funds are routinely illegally commingled to fund political projects. That HUD would ignore such evidence and continue to fund this group in such a substantial way boggles the mind. ACORN needs to be investigated, not further rewarded.”

About The Consumers Rights League:

The Consumers Rights League is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization dedicated to protecting consumer choice and access to the marketplace.  Through investigative analysis, CRL produces quality research that thoroughly documents the real-world choices and challenges consumers face and reports on the benefits enjoyed by an overwhelming majority of consumers. Learn more about CRL’s mission at www.ConsumersRightsLeague.org.