Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Advocacy

  • Consumer Watchdog Agency Endangered

    An article appeared in yesterday’s New York Times print edition with details on how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), created in 2011 by Congress in the aftermath of the housing crisis of the Great Recession, is being systematically attacked and dismantled. (For the NYT article by Stacy Cowley, click here.)

    A friend and subscriber send me a note to “join in taking personal action in support of reversing the potential elimination of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.” Yes, Jim D., consider it done. Below is more background information and my plan on how to combat the illegal and unconstitutional actions of Donald Trump and his team.

    In the past few days, the CFPB Director was fired, Elon Musk posted “CFPB RIP”, bureau employees were locked out of their offices, and the Project 2025 author and new Office of Management and Budget head, Russell Vought, gave unvetted DOGE employees access to CFPB data systems containing highly sensitive consumer and business information.

    The National Consumer Law Center, a leading consumer advocacy group, supplies the following:

    Financial companies have shown time and time again that they cannot police themselves. The Administration is trying to shut down an agency created by Congress to fix problems that caused over eight million people to lose their jobs and almost four million families to lose their homes during the Great Recession. The CFPB saves homes, stops fraud that ruins lives, and enforces key laws, winning $21 billion in relief for over 200 million people harmed by credit bureaus, big banks, debt collectors and predatory lenders.

    The illegal actions to shut down the CFPB halt work to safeguard people’s private information, protect bank customers when hackers raid their accounts, and help families save their homes when they’re unfairly rushed to foreclosure. The CFPB now appears poised to roll over and play dead in pending lawsuits by big banks and credit bureaus, letting them overturn new rules returning $5 billion in excessive overdraft fees to struggling families and removing medical debt from credit reports.” NCLC has joined with Democracy Forward to move to intervene in the overdraft fee litigation, and we are working to preserve the medical debt rule.

    The plan I propose includes the following:

    • Attend rallies. There is strength in numbers and you will feel part of a community.
    • Phone and email your elected officials, now. There is a list on this website of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Senators and Representative, here. For Members of Congress in the other 48 states visit https://www.congress.gov/members.
    • Contribute to organizations that support our rights and freedoms. My featured organization today is the National Consumer Law Project, a group I’ve been associated with for twenty-five years.
    • Join national, state, and particularly local political groups. My current favorites are: Indivisible, Indivisible Philadelphia, Mt. Airy Democrats, Turn PA Blue, and Vote the Ridge to name just a few.
    • Vote every election, twice a year.
    • Do something.

  • Major Enhancements to Energy Safety Net

    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state officials have greatly increased the energy safety net. New Jersey has vastly expanded who will qualify for state energy programs.

    The purpose of this article is to detail the many changes for energy assistance in New Jersey. There are a number of very good websites, see below, with detailed information on energy aid, but none drive home the changes of a changed landscape, all done in an effort to help as many New Jersey families as possible.

    Major changes to the energy safety net include:

    • Increasing the LIHEAP income limits so more will qualify. Effective October 1, 2021, the monthly income limits for a household of four is $6,439. Last heating season, the limit for a family of four was only $4,039 per month.
    • Increasing Universal Service Fund (USF) income limits from 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 400% FPL. For example, last year the gross income limit -pretax dollars – for a household of four was $4,039 per month. Effective October 1,2021, a family of four could qualify will a month income of $8,833. A family of four could now qualify with a yearly income of $106,000.
    • The Lifeline Utility Assistance program will increase its income limits starting January, 2022 by $10,000. This is a state program for seniors and the disabled to assist with electric and gas. The income limit in 2022 will be $38,769 for a single person and $45,270, for a couple.
    • Governor Murphy announced in June a six-month grace period on utility shutoffs until December 31, 2021. The purpose of the grace period, as the extended shutoff moratorium had ended, was for “allowing a reasonable period of time during which individuals are protected while they try to address arrearages, including by applying to utility assistance programs.” The complete text appears in his Executive Order No. 246. Take the opportunity to apply for energy safety net programs in these next few months.
    • An updated Bill of Rights has been established by the Board of Public Utilities for all utility customers. Some of the changes will expire December 31, 2021.
    • Changes to the USF program which provides monthly credits to utility bills by: 1) increasing the maximum monthly credit from $150 to $180; 2) reducing the “energy affordability threshold” previously referred to as the “energy burden” so additional households qualify. For details, see Board of Public Utilities’ June 24, 2021 press release.
    • Modifying the Fresh Start component of the USF program, so any customer with an overdue balance of $60 or more will be enrolled in this arrearage forgiveness program. Customers who pay their entire bill for a twelve month period will have their arrears entirely forgiven. (Return to normal USF and Fresh Start requirements will resume October 1, 2023.) Fresh Start is administered by the utility companies which send out letters of acceptance into the program. Contact your utility company for details.
    • DCAid is an online screening tool to check to see what benefits you may qualify for. You could then complete an online application, using their USF/LIHEAP Online Application Portal.

    Other valuable energy assistance pages are: my NJ Energy Programs page, including an income guidelines chart of six energy assistance programs; the Utility Assistance Programs page of NJ 2-1-1 Partnership; and the Utility Assistance Programs page of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

    The energy safety net has been greatly enhanced. Take advantage of the opportunity.

  • Welcome Afghan Families

    Refugees from war-torn Afghanistan are arriving at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in South Jersey, one of four military installations. While families will have their immediate needs met while at these facilities, it will take coordinated effort to put their lives back in order.

    Public-private partnerships have long existed to help refugees resettle and build new lives. It is not a government-only effort. Below is a very short list of nonprofit organizations in the area that will be assisting the new arrivals. Please consider making a donation – cash, furnishings, or volunteer time. If you know of other nonprofits active in refugee resettlement, please send your comments.

    These and other nonprofit organizations work to integrate refugees in our communities, helping to provide the linkages to housing, furniture, job training, employment, etc.

    Give what you can.