THE RIGHT TO SHELTER

WHEREAS, the right to adequate safe shelter is a fundamental civil and human right; and

WHEREAS, home ownership is a fundamental part of the stability and the economy of the American society; and

WHEREAS, the tradition that "a person's home is his castle" is an integral part of the American political tradition; and

WHEREAS, the right to home ownership for many people is severely threatened in times of recession and depression; and

WHEREAS, many individuals, through no fault of theirs, have had to forfeit their homes because of job losses; and

WHEREAS, some individuals who have owned homes for more than twenty years have been forced to sell, or become victims of foreclosure action; and

WHEREAS, the loss of a home as a center of family activity can lead and has led to increased family disintegration, increased juvenile delinquency, increased psychological illness, alcoholism, etc.; and

WHEREAS, some states are, as cost saving measures, adopting policies which result in the premature release of mental patients without adequate preparation for their shelter needs; and

WHEREAS, our elderly citizens are often the most frequent victims of foreclosures even after a life of fruitful contributions to our economy and our society; and

WHEREAS, some individuals have been forced to live on the streets and in cars as a result of foreclosure; and

WHEREAS, all segments of our society, rural, urban and suburban are affected by the current state of foreclosures; and

WHEREAS, the economic policies of the current administration in Washington are exacerbating rather than alleviating this problem:

RESOLVED, that the AFT urges the passage of legislation to provide temporary relief in the form of federal and state mortgage loans to individuals facing the loss of their home due to recession and accompanying unemployment.

The AFT discusses with congressional leaders the feasibility of developing incentive programs in the form of tax rebates to banks and other mortgage holders who suspend foreclosure procedures during times of recession and depression in those cases where the "failure to pay" is clearly the result of a depressed economy.

The AFT, through its affiliation with the AFL-CIO, urges the Congress of the U.S. to create a task force to study the mushrooming problem of foreclosures with a view to establishing a mortgage relief agency under the auspices of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The AFT, through its affiliation with the AFL-CIO, urges our congressional representatives to push for legislation which will provide federal funds for cities and communities seeking to cope with the related upsurge in indigent homeless people resulting from economic dislocation and deinstitutionalizing programs which return people to the community without adequate provisions for either short-term or long-term shelter.