Acorn, a housing advocacy group that is also known for its far-reaching voter-registration drives is likely to be among the biggest beneficiaries from the housing bill signed into law July 30 by President Bush, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The housing bill, which Acorn’s advocacy arm lobbied hard for, provides nearly $5-billion for affordable housing, financial counseling, and mortgage restructuring for imperiled homeowners, all areas in which Acorn’s housing corporation works.

Acorn has a national headquarters in New Orleans, as well as affiliated groups across the nation. It is co-managing a $15.9-million campaign with the group Project Vote to register 1.2 million low-income black and Hispanic voters.

Republicans had raised objections to the legislation, fearing federal housing money could wind up being used to support voter-registration drives that heavily favor Democratic candidates.

“These are taxpayer funds, in an indirect method, being used to subsidize political activism,” says Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Republican of Texas and chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. “I’m sure they’re not going out and registering any Republicans.”

Democrats counter that other groups across the political spectrum — the League of Conservation Voters, the National Rifle Association, and a number of religious charities — also register voters and have also gotten public money.

Charles Jackson, an Acorn spokesman, says housing aid does not support voter efforts. “The funds don’t intermingle,” he says. “There are clear walls with Acorn.”