Tenants Rising Campaign MLK Weekend of Action

NACA’S TENANTS RISING CAMPAIGN CONTINUES WITH MLK DAY WEEKEND OF ACTION

CONTACTS: Jill Konopka, Director of Comms./Cell: 617-477-7274 [email protected] or Tim Trumble, Nat’l Media Coordinator/ Cell: 617-947-2632 [email protected]

OMS: NACA and at-risk renters still waiting on The Department of Community Affairs “Georgia Rental Assistance” Division to disperse more than $840M in ERA funds.

QUÉ: Tenants Rising Campaign MLK Weekend of Action

CUÁNDO:  Saturday, January 15, 2022 11:30 am

WHERE: DCA’s Commissioner Christopher Nunn’s Home at 97 Lakeland Drive, NW Atlanta, GA 30305

(Atlanta, Georgia) NACA is organizing on this MLK long weekend a direct action in support of Georgia tenants at risk of eviction. This Saturday tenants who have submitted their applications to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs will be visiting the home of DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn at 97 Lakeland Drive NW, Atlanta GA 30305.  Nunn must be held accountable for the devastating impact of DCA’s mismanagement of the nearly one billion dollars of Emergency Rental Assistance funds (“ERA”) allocated to DCA.  With only $67 million of these funds distributed and still months of backlog, it is necessary for the tenants to meet with Commissioner Nunn at his home to explain their dire situation and request immediate assistance.  It is crucial Commissioner Nunn hears from the tenants to understand their fear of becoming homeless.

NACA has deployed a nationwide team of Economic Justice Advocates to assist tenants in accessing this emergency rental assistance.  They counsel tenants and assist them in submitting an application to an authorized ERA provider and navigating the process to access the funds.  While many providers have exhausted their allocated ERA funds, DCA stands out as one of the worst performing providers nationwide.  Their information provided to NACA through a Georgia Open Records Act request shows they have only processed one-third of the submitted applications.  Additionally, of those applications, approximately half have been denied.  While NACA has offered to assist tenants, DCA’s continued failure has lea to this growing tenant’s crisis in Georgia. 

“NACA, known for its aggressive advocacy in support of homeowners is now employing strong tactics to advocate for at-risk tenants”, states Bruce Marks NACA’s CEO and Founder.  “This is personal, so, I will be joining the tenants as they attempt to meet with Chris Nunn.  There can be no better impact or more effective communication than face-to-face interaction.  While Chris Nunn lives a comfortable life in Buckhead, he needs to get a better understanding of DCA’s failure to assist tenants in a timely manner.”

This is the second major action against DCA.  On November 16th, 2021 three hundred tenants protested outside DCA’s offices at 200 Piedmont Ave, N.W. Atlanta.  As a result of NACA’s advocacy, DCA reallocated more than $80M ERA monies to five Georgia counties including Fulton, DeKalb, Henry, Hall, and Clayton Counties.  NACA will continue this grassroots campaign to hold DCA and other providers responsible for effective administration of this $47 Billion in Emergency Rental Assistance.  NACA has already seen success in assisting tenants nationwide.  More than 30,000 tenants have submitted their information requesting assistance through NACA’s website at www.naca.com.  The Economic Justice Advocates have already assisted many hundreds of tenants nationwide in accessing ERA funds and preventing evictions.  In addition, the advocates continue to identify the ERA providers who are overwhelmed, unable or unwilling to effectively administer the funds to those most in need.   Applicants should start by going to www.naca.com, to complete the online application form.

NACA’s Tenants Rising campaign in Atlanta honors Martin Luther King’s life and legacy during this weekend of remembrance.   NACA is continuing MLK’s fight for economic justice though both advocacy and actions in support of at-risk tenants.  Countless Georgia Renters are still waiting on the DCA to release ERA funds. The leadership of Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs has come into question.   These tenants rising up will not take “no” for an answer.  NACA’s advocacy and direct assistance for tenants is absolutely critical since already, thousands of tenants have been evicted and millions are critically close to the devastating consequences of mass evictions.   

NACA (NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA) www.naca.com

Started in 1988, NACA has led the fight for affordable homeownership and is the largest HUD-approved nonprofit, community advocacy and homeownership organization in the United States. NACA has been the forefront in fighting for homeowners and against abusive lenders coining the term “Predatory lending”.  NACA has been the most effective organization in providing affordable solutions to over 250,000 homeowners. NACA provides the best mortgage in the country through its 48 offices nationwide. NACA provides the best mortgage in America with $20 billion to lend with no down payment, no closing cost, no fees at a below market fixed rate (2.5% 30 yr. fixed APR or 1.75% 15 yr. fixed APR as of 1/14/2022).  NACA’s Mejor en América mortgage program breaks down barriers to homeownership that have prevented primarily low and moderate income and minority homebuyers from achieving the American Dream of homeownership and building generational wealth.  NACA is one of the most effective programs in the country in closing the racial and wealth disparity gap with three million members and more than 85% of NACA homeowners being people of color. NACA’s founder and CEO Bruce Marks was named Bostoniano del año for 2007 because of his work in getting the major lenders and servicers to modify home loans. He has also testified before Congress on numerous occasions including September 12, 2000 being one of the few to sound the alarm of the pending mortgage crisis. For more information, please visit www.naca.com.