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May 19, 2008, 01:34 PM ET
Habitat Scoops Up Homes in Foreclosure; Churches Counsel Homeowners
The abundance of homes in foreclosure around the country has presented Habitat for Humanity with ample opportunities to purchase and renovate cheap properties it can offer as affordable housing to low-income families, reports the Associated Press.
The group’s officials say that acquiring the foreclosed properties is preferable to allowing the homes to remain vacant and vulnerable to slumlords and crime. “We’re stepping up to the plate to provide some viable solutions to the housing crisis,” said Sharon Rolence, a spokeswoman for the group’s Twin Cities branch.
Churches around the country are offering counseling programs to help people avoid foreclosure and the pitfalls of predatory lending, reports another Associated Press article.
Catholic Charities USA, in Alexandria, Va., said it has helped 4,000 homeowners nationwide. “What happens to the lives of people daily is important,” said Jean Beil, a spokeswoman for the group. “God calls us to care for the poor.”
(Free registration is required to view the first article on the Washington Post site and the second article on the Boston Globe site.)
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