Housing Opportunities

PICO federations are helping make it possible for families to find affordable housing in safe neighborhoods. PICO puts community residents at the center of the redevelopment of their own communities. As a result, PICO federations have won new mixed-income housing development, comprehensive neighborhood reinvestment strategies, inclusionary-zoning ordinances, renter protections, housing trust funds and first time homeownership programs.

In the face of the foreclosure crisis, PICO is also working to keep families and put a floor on falling housing values by creating local diversion programs, seeking protections for renters, and pushing for federal mass loan modification policies.

Here are some examples of what PICO is doing to rebuild neighborhoods and create new housing opportunities.

Foreclosure Prevention & Neighborhood Stabilization

In October 2008, PICO launched a nationwide campaign to pressure the Treasury and Congress for a systematic home loan modification program to prevent 3 million foreclosures. Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization of Antioch, CA kicked off the campaign by holding the largest public event to date on the foreclosure crisis, winning a commitment from Bank of America/Countrywide to work with PICO in 25 cities to implement a home loan modification program. PICO affiliates in California, Florida, Missouri, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and New Jersey are also working to stabilize neighborhoods hard-hit by the crisis. Learn more about PICO's nationwide foreclosure prevention campaign >>

Mixed Income Housing

L.A. Voice has been working with ally housing organizations in Los Angeles to pass the city's first ever Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance. A majority of City Council members have signed onto L.A. Voice's platform calling for new city policies on housing, including funding for a Housing Trust Fund, more mixed-income housing, and protections for renters to increase the quantity and quality of low-income housing in the city. L.A. Voice leaders are now working with Mayor Antonio Villagaraiosa to introduce legislation.