Commission on Homelessness & Poverty

Commission on Homelessness and Poverty Policy Positions
Adopted by the House of Delegates at the 2002 ABA Annual Meeting

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Anti-Predatory Lending Resolution

Sponsored by the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty

Cosponsored by the Senior Lawyers Division
Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children
Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly
Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants
Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division
Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law
Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services
Section of State and Local Government Law
and the Section of Business Law

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States Congress to enact uniform national legislation that, without reducing access to legitimate home mortgage loans for consumers, provides objective standards to define and curb lending practices that are abusive, deceptive or fraudulent, including but not limited to:

(1) making loans secured by the borrower’s principle residence without regard to the borrower’s ability to repay; (2) inducing borrowers to refinance home loans when the new loan does not have a tangible net benefit to the borrower; or (3) concealing the amount of the true loan obligation or ancillary products.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges national, state, territorial and local bar associations to establish and support bar programs to educate consumers about, and protect them from, lending practices that are abusive, deceptive or fraudulent.

Commission on Homelessness and Poverty Policy Positions
Adopted by the House of Delegates at the 2001 ABA Annual Meeting

Digital Divide

Sponsored by the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty
Co-sponsored by the Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division and
the Steering Committee on Unmet Legal Needs of Children
Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress and the Administration to enact legislation and/or strengthen and develop initiatives to establish and support technology-based access to justice in underserved communities.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress, the Administration, and other appropriate entities to enact legislation and/or strengthen and develop initiatives to bridge the "digital divide," the gap between those who have access to technology and/or the requisite skills to use such technology effectively and those who do not, by increasing access to technology and technology skills for underserved communities.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges state, local and territorial bars to establish and support initiatives to bridge the "digital divide" by increasing access to technology and technology skills for underserved communities.

Due Process for TANF Recipients

Sponsored by the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty
Co-sponsored by the Steering Committee on Unmet Legal Needs of Children
Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division
Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the Administration to support and Congress to enact or amend welfare legislation to require due process protections in the administration of welfare programs, particularly notice and an opportunity to be heard, before the imposition of financial sanctions against families for noncompliance with program requirements.

Native American Children and
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress to amend Part E of Title IV of the Social Security Act to provide direct access for foster care and adoption services for Indian children under tribal court jurisdiction.

For a copy of the complete policy reports, contact the Commission at homeless@abanet.org