•We have established that most individuals returning from incarceration will not have adequate housing. Policies within the Housing Choice Voucher Program and Public Housing do not automatically deny an individual, but they allow very little chance that a person in question will be accepted, when his/her number comes up. In order to impose change in the policies in Baltimore City, OFJ became members of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition. If change is to occur, we have found that it will have to begin at the Federal level. OFJ joined with HUD, Congress and supporters of fair housing, to collaborate on steps to take to achieve socially just housing policies. The National Low Incoming Housing Conference was held April 12-14, 2010 at the L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C. Speakers included HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Sandra Henriquez, author Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, House Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-MA), House Housing Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

Members attended day long workshops such as:
• Affirmatively furthering fair housing
• community planning and development
• housing plus services
• new housing resources for extremely low income people
• preserving multifamily housing
• research and data
The conference also included a host of other workshop sessions. On the final day of the workshop, members attended ‘Lobby Day’. NLIHC staff was on hand to provide resources, answer questions, and give directions to conference attendees headed to Capitol Hill.
While on Captiol Hill, OFJ members visited with the aides of John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger, in order to gain support on the issues of fair housing for all. Both meetings were very favorable with both parties promising to render aid, when needed. 


                                                                                                               



                                                                                                                        

















"Helping others to help themselves "
"Out for Justice"
~Building Power for Change~
 
OFJ walking the halls of the State House
OFJ outside of Senator Sarbane's office, during lobby day at the Housing Conference from left to right: Trina Selden, Gilbert Selden, Monica Cooper and Nathaniel Jackson.
Former President, Gilbert Selden and Project Director @ the Housing Conference
The National Low Incoming Housing Conference