I had no idea who Anita MonCrief was as we arrived to hear a talk on what went wrong with ACORN. My interests were not political but more curiosity about what happened. All I knew about ACORN was that they were a non-profit HUD/Fannie Mae approved agency that helped low to moderate income families become homeowners.
Bank of America was proud of their connection to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). BOA put on seminars explaining the benefits of the program and asking Realtors such as myself to work with them. As an idealist realtor who thinks everyone should own a home in America. I was happy to see another agency helping make the American dream come true. ACORN’s program featured no mortgage insurance, minimum loan amounts, and flexible underwriting. The Bank of America workers who administered the Housing Program seemed dedicated and happy. I thought this is the way things should be.
As drove into the parking of Northwest Mall on Monday, September 27, I immediately noticed the large presence of the Houston Police Department. There was a restaurant near where the meeting was to be held. So I thought they must be serving good food to have all of the police officers here. I later learned that they were there to provide protection for Anita MonCrief.
Ms. MonCrief started her talk by explaining her desire to help the people of America. She spent a summer away from the University of Alabama working overseas for OSCE in Macedonia as an election observer. She started her career by working for T-Mobile, but the idea of making America a better place caused her to leave in October 2005 to join ACORN.
She thought there was so much to do in America. Anita worked as a development associate with Project Vote. She researched voter fraud allegations. What she found was that ACORN was accused of voter fraud itself. Rather than standing up for their employees, ACORN placed the blame on them saying they had bad character. Nine ACORN people went to jail in Missouri. The truth according to Anita is that ACORN’s policy was to hire people with shady backgrounds. This way the company could claim they were rogue employees if anything happened.
Anita talked about community organizing and getting out people to vote. Of particular concern to her was the fact that ACORN was sending people into the communities to protest companies. ACORN would then go the companies telling them that for a certain sum of money the protesters could go away. Sherman Williams Paint Company was used as an example of this. Volunteers were given t-shirts with the lettering “Get the Lead out.” Referring to the fact that lead based paint can be harmful to children if swallowed. The truth was that Sherman Williams Paint Company had already agreed to provide money to remove paint from low income homes which had lead based paint. ACORN had changed from helping people to extorting money from companies particularity those in the housing industry.
The end for ACORN’s housing program came when employees were videotaped giving out tax advice and other advice on operating a prostitution business, including advice on the sex trafficking of children being brought in from Central America for child prostitution. Now being called the Acorn Scandal, one video was filmed at ACORN’s Baltimore office in Charles Village, while the other was filmed at their office in Washington, D.C.
I can’t help but think of Enron, when I think of what has become of the ACORN housing program. I feel so badly for the people of Houston. Low income families who could have a home today. I wonder is it power that corrupts, or just plain greed. Why have our leaders failed us?
Anita MonCrief has been threatened, sued for $5,000,000, and was in a questionable car accident last week. That is why 7 police officers were providing security at a meeting of 400 plus people. Who had come to see a courageous woman that tried to correct the system before it was to late. Had anyone at ACORN listened to her maybe we would still have ACORN housing assistance today.
Source: William Pfeifer Jr, Legal News Examiner
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