About Us---http://unitedforhomeownership.com/about-us

http://unitedforhomeownership.com/about-usAbout Us

United for American Homeownership (UAH) is a coalition working to support the dream of homeownership and continue America’s economic recovery. We bring together a broad array of supporters, united in opposition to any legislative overhaul that would eliminate the critical pathways that lead to affordable homeownership for millions.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have offered such pathways for more than 75 years and are poised to continue providing these opportunities for years to come. Freddie Mac has provided nearly $8 trillion in mortgage financing since its inception; Fannie Mae has funded $4.1 trillion since 2009 alone. In that same time period – since 2009 – Freddie helped 953,000 Americans avoid foreclosure. In just 2013, Fannie helped 234,000 Americans stay in their homes or avoid foreclosure. Both Fannie and Freddie have emerged from the 2009 recession stronger than ever, and have paid back America’s taxpayers in full – and then some. 

Because we can’t count on Wall Street or Washington to stand up for America’s future homeowners, we need independent companies like Fannie and Freddie that will. Our coalition is calling on Congress to help the American economy continue its comeback – and to keep America’s housing market in the hands of professionals, not politicians and the big banks.

Now is the time to safeguard the dream of buying a home for millions of responsible, hardworking families. We hope you will join us in uniting for American homeownership.

Meet our Board

The Honorable Bob Kerrey

As a courageous public servant, decorated Vietnam veteran and education leader, the Honorable Bob Kerrey represents the contributory spirit that distinguishes our nation.

Today Bob Kerrey is Managing Director at Allen & Company in New York. He is also Executive Chairman of the Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, supporting The Minerva Project, an exceptional liberal arts and sciences education with a redefined student body, reinvented curriculum, rigorous academic standards, cutting-edge technology, and an immersive global experience.

As of January 1, 2011, Bob Kerrey completed his tenure as seventh President of The New School, a university founded on strong democratic ideals and daring educational practices - an environment that was well suited for his leadership.  He also served as New School President Emeritus from January 1, 2011 to January 31, 2013.

Under his leadership as President, The New School experienced an unprecedented period of growth.  Enrollment and full-time faculty increased significantly, with the undergraduate population alone increasing by over 40 percent to 5,000 degree students. Since 2001, a record $198 million was raised for scholarships, professorships, capital projects, major conferences and cutting-edge research.  The largest space expansion in the university’s history was successfully spearheaded under Bob Kerrey and is now nearing completion.  A new signature building at 65 Fifth Avenue, scheduled to open in fall 2013, will embody the ahead-of-the-curve vision of The New School.

During Bob Kerrey’s tenure, the university made great progress in its international efforts.  Its expanding graduate program in International Affairs matriculates nearly 500 students from 34 countries who work directly with high-profile practitioners and scholars. Additionally, the university launched the India China Institute, a think-tank with major outposts in New York, Mumbai and Beijing, and the Tishman Environment and Design Center, which has developed a forward-thinking environmental studies program.

Prior to coming to The New School, Bob Kerrey represented Nebraska in the United States Senate.  For two terms Senator Kerrey emphasized the direct connection between citizens and their laws, and made a concerted effort to allow Nebraskans to participate in writing laws that defined the quality and inclusiveness of their health care system, their schools and the safety of their communities.  He served on the Senate’s Agriculture and Forestry Committee and was a leader in drafting farm legislation, soil and water conservation statutes, and regulations to promote equity in rural health, communication and transportation.

He also served on the Senate’s Appropriations Committee and worked to partner with community leaders throughout the state who were working on a variety of projects to create jobs, provide child care for working parents, build parks and more.  On the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Kerrey worked to enact legislation that strengthened taxpayers’ rights with the Internal Revenue Service and fought to make our tax code simpler and fairer.  On the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Kerrey worked to restructure our intelligence agencies to improve their capacity to meet the threats faced by our country.

Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate Bob Kerrey served a single term as Nebraska’s Governor working to balance its budget, partner with the private sector to create jobs, improve the quality of Nebraska’s schools, college and university, and protect Nebraska’s fragile soil and water.  Bob Kerrey established a reputation as a fiscal conservative who regularly crossed political party lines for the good of Nebraska and the country. 

Prior to serving as Governor Bob Kerrey was a businessman who helped build a chain of restaurants and health clubs that employed more than 1,000 people.  In between his term as Governor and his election to the U.S. Senate, Bob Kerrey co-taught a class at the University of California at Santa Barbara with fellow Nebraskan Walter Capps.  During this time Bob Kerrey also lectured to a government class at Omaha Central High School.

Prior to beginning his business Bob Kerrey served three years in the United States Navy in the Vietnam War. For his service as a Navy SEAL, he received a Congressional Medal of Honor. While in Vietnam, he was wounded, permanently disabled from the injury, and received from this injury a great gift:  Sympathy for those who are suffering and an appreciation for the capacity of government to save your life. Through his terms as Governor and Senator of Nebraska, Bob Kerrey has stood up for the brave men and women who defend freedom here and abroad. Before his time in the Navy, Bob Kerrey attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in January 1966 with a BS degree in pharmacy.  He was born in Lincoln and attended public schools there.

While at The New School, Bob Kerrey continued to be involved in public service.   He was an active member of the 9/11 Commission, an advisory board member of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association, co-chairs of the Concord Coalition, is active in the Natural Resources Defense Council, was chairman of the College Board’s National Writing Commission, and co-chaired with Newt Gingrich successive commissions on long term care and Alzheimer’s. He is an avid reader of history, poetry and literature.  In 2002 he published a memoir, “When I Was A Young Man.”

Bob Kerrey is married to Sarah Paley and lives in New York.  The couple has a 12-year-old son, Henry, and Mr. Kerrey has two children from his previous marriage, Ben and Lindsey Kerrey, and four grandchildren.

Joshua Angel

Joshua J. Angel is counsel in Herrick’s Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group. A graduate of Columbia Law School (’59), Josh has more than 55 years of experience in commercial insolvency and corporate restructuring matters, representing debtors, creditors, shareholders, class action plaintiffs, asset purchasers from debtors and plan funders in mega-bankruptcies (names available upon request). He has served both debtors, and creditors in out-of-court restructurings of financially distressed businesses as well as persons seeking to acquire such businesses or their assets.  Josh is recognized as a leading member of the New York Bankruptcy Bar and has served as the lead debtor's counsel in some of the Bankruptcy Court's most significant cases.

Harry C. Alford

For these last twenty years, National Black Chamber of Commerce President/CEO and co-founder Harry C. Alford has established himself as perhaps the nation’s preeminent champion of African American business empowerment.  From a visionary concept of what Blacks need to do to fully seize their place in the economic mainstream, Mr. Alford has built a global organization that has earned a place at the table in the White House and at the top levels of Corporate America.

As the intellectual and spiritual linchpin of the NBCC, Mr. Alford has been responsible for opening doors that have led to billions of dollars in new business for Black-owned firms throughout the nation.  His courage and leadership have been noted by all in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  His relentless energy and advocacy is helping forge international business opportunities for African Americans and emerging entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean, South America and the rest of the African Diaspora.  For this work, he was formally named a Cultural Ambassador by the US State Department.  A native of California, Mr. Alford has made his mark at the highest levels of both the private and public sectors.  He matriculated at the University of Wisconsin via an athletic scholarship (football). After earning top honors as Company Commander in the Army’s Officer Candidate School class (OC3-72), Mr. Alford put his leadership skills to work in a series of key sales and executive positions at Fortune 100 companies such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and the Sara Lee Corporation.  Mr. Alford has led large trade missions to Brazil, Ghana, Kenya and various nations in the Caribbean.  Recently, he helped establish the French African Diaspora Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France.  The birth and growth of the National Black Chamber of Commerce is consistent with the dynamic growth of African American owned firms in the United States – the fastest growing segment in the nation per the US Census Bureau.

Mr. Alford is an award winning columnist for the National Newspaper Publishers Association and consults and speaks on business matters to groups and agencies throughout the nation.  He proudly served on the NNPA Foundation Board of Directors.  He is an active member of the Board of Directors of the US Chamber of Commerce where he chairs the Government Oversight and Consumer Affairs Committee.  He is a member of the 2008 Health Sector Assembly, which is a think tank of national leaders concerned about healthcare.  As a consultant, he has developed business models tailored to specific corporations and public agencies.  Mr. Alford is regularly called upon by Congress to testify on various legislative initiatives related to small business development, the Gulf Coast rebuilding, e-commerce, healthcare, energy, tax reform and global trade issues.  He received national recognition while delivering testimony concerning the recent Cap and Trade Energy debate.  He was inducted into the Oxnard High School Hall of Fame in 2013.  Mr. and Mrs. Alford reside in Maryland and have two sons who were scholar athletes at the University of Maryland (lacrosse).