by Oletha Jones It has been most unfortunate, but for the last 15 years, it has been necessary to monitor and correct unfounded negative narratives regarding the SBCSC Federal Consent Decree. We usually find they come without data or any credible information to substantiate their validity and amount to nothing more than self-serving propaganda. It…
by Regina Williams-Preston I am a 25-year veteran teacher in the South Bend Community School Corporation; for many of those years I was a member of the special education support team and my job was to support administrators and teachers in compliance monitoring related to special education law. Believe me, from 1999 to 2024, I…
Testimony at the South Bend City Council meeting on June 8, 2026, when the Reparatory Justice Commission presented its report to the Council. Hello, my name is Marty Wolfson. I am the Vice-President of the South Bend Reparations Working Group, referred to earlier by our President, Nimbi Cushing. I strongly support her statement, and of…
Indiana is Now Tied for the Midwest’s Lowest Rate of Affordable and Available Homes for Vulnerable RentersINDIANAPOLIS, IN – Indiana’s rate of affordable and available rental homes for the most vulnerable renter households is now tied for lowest in the Midwest and is below the national average, according to a new report published by Prosperity Indiana and the National Low Income Housing…
NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2026 at 6 PM.NEAR NORTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER1007 PORTAGE AVENUE, SOUTH BEND MEETING FOCUS: South Bend’s Rental Safety Verification Program (RSVP), which monitors the health and safety of rental properties by requiring proof that rental properties are kept in safe and sanitary conditions. The program will begin with a presentation…
by Marty Wolfson President Trump promised that there would be “No Tax on Social Security,” “No Tax on Overtime,” and “No Tax on Tips.” However, the reality turns out to be less than what was promised. There is actually nothing in the tax bill passed last summer that eliminates a tax on Social Security….
From the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition: Legislation has been introduced in the House (HB1431) and Senate (SB285) that would create a new misdemeanor for seeping outside. This legislation also prohibits municipalities from adopting their own policies that would de-prioritize enforcement. This legislation does nothing to address the root causes of homelessness and does nothing to…
by Marty Wolfson On November 12, 2025, the County Council voted to approve bill 60-25. That bill eliminated most of the County’s tax abatement ordinance and replaced it with next to nothing. A large coalition of community organizations and individuals came together in 2009 to pass the tax abatement ordinance. That coalition included, among others:…
NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2024 at 6 PM.CIVIL RIGHTS HERITAGE CENTER1040 West Washington St. South Bend JOIN US IN WELCOMINGMARSHA PARHAM-GREEN, New ExecutiveDirector of the South Bend Housing Authority and KATRINA LEE, New Executive Director of theSouth Bend Human Rights Commission TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION:SUPPORTING THE STRUGGLE FOR SAFE ANDACCESIBLE HOUSING FOR ALL RESIDENTSOF ST….
Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024 at 6 PM Civil Right Heritage Center 1040 West Washington, South Bend CODING EVICTIONS: ST. JOSEPH COUNTY INDIANA SMALL CLAIMS’ EVICTION COURT WATCH STUDY Judith Fox & Katherine Wines February 20, Civil Rights Heritage Center 6 pm A discussion of findings and recommendations from St Joseph County Court Watch…
In Light of a Lack of Legislative Progress, the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition Calls for the Creation of a Commission on Housing Affordability & StabilityThe Hoosier Housing Need Coalition is staffed by Prosperity Indiana. Read the full statement here.************************Two local Indiana legislators speak out about the situation at Cedar Glen Apartments and the fatal house…
NEXT HHR MEETING – THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 AT 6 PMTOPIC: HOUSING TRUST FUNDS The YWCA of North Central Indiana will host a discussion about a proposal for a Housing Trust Fund in St. Joseph County. Housing trust funds are distinct funds established by city, county or state governments that receive ongoing dedicated sources of public…