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APR -12 -2004 11:50 AM P -07 <br />Who is ACORN? <br />• Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now <br />ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community <br />organization of low and moderate - Income families, with over 120,000 member families organized into 600 <br />neighborhood chapters in 45 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action and won victories on <br />issues of concern to our members. Our priorities include: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, <br />living wages for low -wage workers, more Investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better <br />public schools. We achieve these goals by building community organizations that have the power to win changes -- <br />through direct action, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation. <br />What has ACORN Accomplished? This is a sampling of ACORN'S accomplishments thus far. <br />e Community Reinvestment <br />Negotiated landmark agreements with banks in St. Louis, Baton Rouge, Boston, Bridgeport, New York City, Jersey <br />City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Little Rock, New Orleans, Chicago, Minneapolis -St. Paul, Brooklyn, Des <br />Moines, Dallas and Washington, D.C., making over a billion dollars available for loans in low- income neighborhoods. <br />Blocked the gutting of the federal Community Reinvestment Act. Forced Fannie Mae to establish a precedent - setting <br />program to buy community reinvestment mortgages. <br />9 Housing <br />Created or upgraded homesteading programs that turn over vacant houses to low- income residents in <br />Philadelphia, Detroit, Brooklyn, Bridgeport, Chicago, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Little Rock. Won passage of a <br />national homesteading bill to protect buyers from unnecessary eviction. Forced HUD to reform policies and <br />procedures to make It easier for low and moderate- income people to purchase HUD -owned properties. <br />• S Schools <br />Won establishment of alternative public schools in ACORN neighborhoods In Brooklyn, Queens, Jersey <br />City, and St. Paul. Improved school facilities and governance in Chicago, New York, San Jose, Little Rock <br />and Bridgeport. Stopped school closings in Des Moines, won free transportation to schools in Little Rock, <br />upgraded school safety in New Orleans and Detroit. <br />e Living Wages <br />Taken a leadership role In more than a dozen jobs and living wage campaigns, Including victories in <br />Chicago, Cook County, Boston, Oakland, Detroit, Minneapolis, and St. Paul. To help. build the growing living <br />wage movement, ACORN has established the Living Wage Resource Center to provide assistance to living <br />wage campaigns wherever they arise. <br />e Jobs <br />Secured "First Source" ordinances or agreements requiring developers to hire low- Income unemployed . <br />residents In Miami, Washington, D.C., Bridgeport. Pittsburgh, Dallas, St. Louis, Little Rock and Des Moines. <br />e Voter Participation <br />Registered over 500,000 new voters since 1980. Struck down barriers to voter registration in Bridgeport, <br />Pine Bluff, Little Rock, Atlanta, Grand Rapids and Pittsburgh. Replaced at -large CIty.Council elections with <br />a district election system in Pine Bluff and Pittsburgh. Recruited and trained ACORN members to run for <br />public office In Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Philadelphia, Bridgeport, New York, San Jose, Chicago, Tulsa, St. <br />Louis and Des Moines. <br />®' Health and Environmental Justice <br />Forced companies to clean up, move, or cancel plans for toxic chemical plants, dumps, discharges, or <br />waste incinerators In Memphis, Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, Des Moines, New Orleans, Dallas, Minneapolis, <br />Jacksonville, St. Paul, Chicago, and St. Louis. Improved hospital care In Little Rock, Dallas and New York. <br />Expanded childhood Immunization in New Orleans. Organized parents of lead poisoning victims to pressure <br />local governments for improved screening and treatment in New York, Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, <br />D.C. <br />• e Neighborhood Safety <br />Forced police and city officials to respond more effectively to rapes in low - income neighborhoods and to <br />establish rape - prevention programs in St. Louts, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans and Des Moines. Won <br />programs to fight drugs, ranging from more police foot patrols to better recreation facilities in New Orleans, <br />Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Boston, and Detroit. <br />1 <br />For more Information on ACORN visit us o.. 3 .veb site at www.acorn.org or call (651) 642 -9639 <br />