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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-California) serves as the Ranking
Democratic Member of the House Committee on Financial Services and
an integral member of Congressional Democratic Leadership. Now in her
thirteenth term, she is also a member of the Congressional Progressive
Caucus, and member and past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She
was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised by a single mother. As the
fifth of 13 children, she began working at age 13 in factories and segregated restaurants. After
moving to Los Angeles, she worked in garment factories and at the telephone company.
Sometimes a lightning rod for controversy,
she is often at the forefront of progressive
advocacy on issues ranging from economic
development to international human rights.
During the financial collapse, she served as
Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Housing
and Community Opportunity and argued
for greater regulatory oversight to mitigate
foreclosures.
We recently spoke with Congresswoman
Waters and discussed her views on recent
developments in housing policy and the prospects
for bipartisan cooperation in the new congress.
How do you think the recent housing policy changes
enacted by the Obama Administration (lowering
of the mortgage insurance premiums, lowering the
down payment to 3 percent) will move the country's
housing toward recovery?
e decision to reduce the Federal Housing
Administration's (FHA) annual mortgage
insurance premiums was called for by an array
of advocates, interest groups, lawmakers and
civil rights organizations. is much-needed
mortgage relief will deliver critical assistance to
millions of families looking to purchase a home
– and enable countless others to save millions of
C O V E R S T O R Y / D E R E K T E M P L E T O N
A VIEW FROM THE HILL:
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MAXINE WATERS
The long standing Democratic
congressional leader offers her views
on the ideal picture of housing and
recent regulatory developments.
