Partnership Program

Grants to Local Communities to Provide Money to Buy or Fix Up Homes or to Pay for Rent

Called the Home Investment Partnership Program and referred to as Program #14.239 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, this program expands the supply of affordable housing, particularly rental housing, for low and very low income Americans; (2) to strengthen the abilities of State and local governments to design and implement strategies for achieving adequate supplies of decent, affordable housing; (3) to provide both financial and technical assistance to participating jurisdictions, including the development of model programs for developing affordable low income housing; and (4) to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and nonprofit organizations, in the production and operation of affordable housing. To identify if there are programs in your area, contact your local office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Visit: www5.hud.gov:63001/po/i/netlocator/

Free Help To Fight The Health Care System

You can call government offices and advocacy groups that will do your fighting for you or give you the needed weapons to do your own fighting. Before you call a lawyer, call these free offices: Your state Insurance Commissioner will help you learn your legal rights regarding insurance. Your state Medical Board will review your complaint and help resolve disputes. Your state HMO Board will also resolve disputes. You can also contact the Patient Advocate Foundation, 700 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Suite 200, Newport News, VA 23606; 800-532-5274; www.patientadvocate.org, or the Health Insurance Partnership program at Families USA

Visit: www.patientadvocate.org