Housing Assistance for Families Displaced by Hurricane Ike

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have implemented a rental assistance program to provide temporary rental payments and case management services to those who were displaced by Hurricane Ike. The new program, slated to begin November 1, 2008, will help these families find intermediate housing as they rebuild their lives.

Families should register by calling (800) 621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.fema.gov.

Lawsuit Over Signing Shock

Nanette Lewis refinanced her mortgage to get peace of mind. Instead, she says, she got a bait-and-switch, predatory loan and heartbreak.

Now far less naive, the Baytown woman decided to fight back.

In a lawsuit she filed against her lenders in federal court last week, she alleges she was targeted for a loan with onerous terms because she’s black. Her suit mirrors one filed by the attorney general of Massachusetts and another by the city of Baltimore.

All three accuse lenders of “reverse redlining” — targeting minority loan applicants for the worst possible mortgage deals.

Lewis’ lawsuit may be the first of its kind in Texas. She is represented by a legal aid lawyer and seeking primarily, she said, to get the word out about what happened and to remove the lien from her property, though she still would be responsible for repaying the mortgage. More from the Houston Chronicle…

Judge Rules Against Immigration-Related Rental Ban

A federal judge issued a final judgment on August 28, 2008, permanently preventing a Dallas suburb from enforcing a rule banning apartment rentals to illegal immigrants.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay could conclude a nearly two-year court battle over a never-enforced ordinance that would have required landlords to verify tenants’ legal status. The city could appeal. More from the Austin American Statesman…