WASHINGTON - June 26 - Nearly 80% of homeless service and advocacy agencies report that at least some of their clients became homeless as a result of a foreclosure, and one in five estimate that more than 40% of their clients became homeless because of a foreclosure. These data are among the results of a nationwide survey of local homeless providers conducted by national housing and homeless organizations and released as a joint report by the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and other national organizations.

The report, titled Foreclosure to Homeless 2009: The Forgotten Victims of the Subprime Crisis, will be released at a press conference on Friday, June 26. Details are below.

The findings of the report are based on the survey responses of 178 local homeless service providers from all regions of the country. Respondents were asked to report the numbers of their clients who became homeless as a result of foreclosure, as well as about the coping strategies of families and the services and protections available to evicted families at the state and local levels.

The report also examines related factors that contribute to foreclosures and homelessness, including health care costs and whether or not the family has access to legal assistance. In addition, policy recommendations that would assist both homeowners and renters facing foreclosures are provided. An appendix lists survey questions and the names of local service providers that responded. 

"The results of this survey make clear that foreclosures are a major factor in the increase of homelessness in the United States," NLIHC President Sheila Crowley said.

Sponsoring organizations of the report are: National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, NLIHC, and the National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness.

Press Conference

What: Release of Foreclosure to Homelessness 2009: The Forgotten Victims of the Subprime Crisis

When: Friday, June 26 at 9:30 am

Where: Hyatt Regency Washington Hotel on Capitol Hill, Regency Ballroom. 400 New Jersey Ave, NW, Washington, DC

Scheduled speakers:

• U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN)
• John Lozier, Executive Director, National Health Care for the Homeless Council
• Donna Smith, Community Organizer, California Nurses Association. Her story was featured in the movie Sicko.
• John Parvensky, President, National Coalition for the Homeless, and Executive Director, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
• Additional representatives of collaborating national homeless organizations

A question-and-answer period will immediately follow the presentation in the hotel's Bunker Hill room.

The report will be made available at www.nlihc.org following the press conference.