Washington, D.C.–U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis today joined leaders from major cities across the country to urge states to enact stronger laws requiring mandatory settlement conferences between lenders and borrowers prior to foreclosure sales. The parties advocated for measures similar to those that have already been enacted in Philadelphia, where lenders and borrowers are required to attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable refinancing or modification of the mortgage that results in a borrower staying in his or her home. Mayor Diaz and Bertha Lewis of ACORN were joined on a conference call by Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Oakland City Admin...

Washington, D.C. – ACORN announced that former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger was appointed to lead an independent inquiry into the "organizational systems and processes" of the embattled group's social services and will make public the results of that inquiry.  

The following are statements by leaders of progressive organizations in support of ACORN and its efforts to get this important organization back on track.

Statement by Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director of the Center for Community Change:

"Since its founding in 1970, ACORN has made important contributions to community organizing. While there have been significant problems recently at ACORN, it has demonstrated the potential of local organizations to join together for national impact. It ha...