Congresswoman Fudge Supports HUD-Landbank Agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reached an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank) that will enable the Land Bank to purchase foreclosed homes for as little as $100. This agreement expands a successful program already in place in Cleveland, in which HUD transferred 441 foreclosed homes to the City in a little over a year.

Working with area mayors through the First Suburbs Consortium, Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) began advocating for the program’s expansion early in 2009.

“Our kids deserve better than abandoned buildings and our communities should be free from blight. It’s both a safety and a beautification issue,” said Congresswoman Fudge. “The Land Bank’s agreement will help community leaders address these issues to restore our neighborhoods. I’m pleased HUD’s program puts our neighborhoods first and keeps foreclosed properties out of the hands of flippers and speculators who perpetuate the cycle of urban decay and neglect.”

Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik, Chairman of the Northeast Ohio First Suburbs Consortium (NEO-FSC) noted, “When the sixteen member communities of [NEO-FSC] came to Congresswoman Fudge for assistance to negotiate an agreement with HUD, back in the spring of 2009, she immediately stepped into action. Within weeks, a meeting was called by the Congresswoman with local, regional and federal level HUD representatives and the then-stagnant ball immediately began to roll. She was able to move the discussions farther in one month than we had in seven.”

Under the agreement, HUD will give the Land Bank an exclusive opportunity to purchase properties at a deep discount, depending on the home’s appraised value. With the ability to purchase homes in bulk, local governments now have a tool to accelerate efforts to address high concentrations of foreclosed and abandoned homes.

“Cities in my district have been at a distinct disadvantage, unable to outbid speculators for hundreds of vacant homes, many of which are in serious disrepair. Without this program, those structures would remain empty for years instead of being rehabbed for new families to move in or in the worst cases, torn down. CCLRC (the Land Bank) can now acquire these homes and speed up the recovery of neighborhoods devastated by the housing crisis,” said Congresswoman Fudge.

The agreement follows a $41 million award to the Land Bank earlier this year through the Recovery Act’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Congresswoman Fudge Highlights Childhood Obesity Amongst Minority Communities

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) hosted a standing room only briefing to shed light on the issue of childhood obesity in minority and other underserved communities. The briefing, coming on the heels the House and Senate passing her bill to designate September as Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, featured a panel of experts who represent a range of civil rights and health care organizations. The audience also heard testimony from Salena Williams, a 15 year old constituent from Euclid, Ohio. Salena described her struggle to lose 45 pounds and conquer diabetes, a journey that took her from a hospital emergency room to wellness.

In her opening remarks, Congresswoman Fudge shared her views of childhood obesity as an epidemic with enormous health, economic, and civil rights implications. “We’re here to empower our communities, our parents, and our kids to be fit for life. We’re here to find real solutions to the barriers that prevent some kids from living healthy, long lives,” said Congresswoman Fudge. “We’re here to put our heads together to end childhood obesity within a generation…We can’t afford to wait. Our children and future generations need our leadership to bring about change.”

The facts on how childhood obesity affects minority communities are striking. The Congresswoman cited the following statistics during the panel:

•Among America’s high school students, 34 percent of Latinos are overweight or obese. For Black students the rate stands at 36 percent.

•Obesity rates also appear to have some relationship with poverty rates in many states. Six of the states with the highest poverty rates are also in the top 10 states with the highest obesity rates. Many of the states with the lowest poverty rates are among the states with the lowest rates of obesity.

•14.8 percent of Children ages 2-5 from low income families are obese compared with 12.4 percent of all U.S. children of similar age.

• The highest childhood obesity rates are among American Indian and Alaska Native children (20.2%) and Latino children (18.3%).

•According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime if current trends continue. For minority kids, nearly one in two will develop diabetes.

As one of Congresswoman Fudge’s top priorities, Congresswoman Fudge will continue to sponsor relevant legislation to address these startling statistics.

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