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Will Housing Prices Pop?

Experts debate if the housing market is an overinflated bubble, or a strong seller's market.   The forum was sponsored by Demos, a public advocacy group that among other issues concentrates on questions of economic opportunity.
In the media
Chris Isidore

Election Officials Work On Making Changes

Flaw-proof election machines. Easy-to-read ballots. Registration systems that catch double-voters or dead voters still on the rolls. For top state election officials meeting here, the pressure is on to make sure the election changes demanded after President Bush's disputed 2000 victory are in place by the Jan.
In the media

Debt Games Could Sink Homeowners

Senior Policy Associate Javier Silva examines the new financial insecurities created as more Americans refinance their homes.   That's the short version of a new and disturbing study by Silva called "House of Cards: Refinancing the American Dream." It shows how millions of U.S. households are falling into a vicious cycle of tapping their credit cards and then refinancing their mortgages to extract needed cash from the equity in their homes.
In the media
Robert Trigaux

Report Finds Refinance Boom Threatens Family Financial Future

New York, NY — Across the United States, families increasingly rely on credit cards to make up for stagnant wage growth and soaring costs. In order to cope, homeowners are depleting their home's equity to pay off a growing mountain of unsecured debt. This is a financial strategy fraught with serious consequences, according to A House of Cards: Refinancing The American Dream, a new report released today by Demos, a nonpartisan public policy organization based in New York.

Press release/statement

For Some, Student Loans Become Heavy Burden"

As tuition costs and enrollment rose through the 1990s, grant money did not keep pace, meaning students have been shouldering an ever-increasing share of their education costs. While before, most were able to finance their studies with grants and part-time work, loans are now inescapable for many.

"This generation is the first to shoulder the costs of their college primarily through interest-bearing loans rather than grants," Draut said.

In the media
Peter Svensson

Groups Seek to Address Voting Troubles

Steve Carbo, director of the Democracy Program, said voters should be allowed to cast provisional votes even if they vote in the wrong precinct, a practice many states now forbid.
In the media
Sam Hananel

STATEMENT: States with Election Day Registration Led Nation in Voter Turnout on Nov 2

New York, NY — Advocates for democracy had one strong reason to cheer on election night: higher voter turnout, especially among youth, reversed a decades-old trend of low electoral participation. Although they are still counting votes in almost every state, it is clear that about 120 million will have voted in the election — an increase of 15 million voters from 2000.

Press release/statement

Student Loans, Credit Cards Pose Debt Threat to the Young

A combination of escalating student loan and credit-card debt, rising costs, slow wage growth and underemployment have accumulated debt "unmatched in modern history" undermining the economic security and financial health of young Americans aged 18-34, according to a new study.   The report, "Generation Broke: The Growth of Debt Among Younger Americans," was released by Demos, a nonpartisan, public policy group, based on the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances as well as dozens of other sources.
In the media
Amilda Dymi

Demos President Miles Rapoport Criticizes Lawsuits Aimed at Stopping Vote Counting in San Diego Mayoral Race

New York, N.Y. — Today Miles Rapoport, President of Demos and former Connecticut Secretary of State, released a statement saying that tens of thousands of voters would be disenfranchised if lawsuits challenging the legitimacy of the San Diego mayoral election succeed.

Press release/statement