As Foreclosures Grow, Housing Advocates Gain

With foreclosures still at record levels, it should be no surprise that the voice of housing advocates continues to grow louder. May has been a particularly active month, with several grassroots organizations across the country staging "live-ins" by moving families into foreclosed or vacant properties. It's all part of the "Month of Action," a campaign launched by the Take Back the Land Movement, a national network of housing advocacy organizations, and the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, to elevate the plight of distressed homeowners. Actions this month have been planned in at least 20 cities, according to the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, including Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. At least one "live-in," in Madison, Wis., has been met with some resistance from local law enforcement agencies. After Take Back the Land-Madison and Operation Welcome Home, two local organizations, helped move Desiree Wilson, a mother of two, into a vacant property, police threatened to charge her with trespassing and she moved out after a couple weeks. "We knew that there would be some sort of resistance," said Monica Adams, one of the organizers.