Twelve organizations -- including the Consumer Federation of America and the Children's Defense Fund -- came together to produce a report rebutting what they call the most prevalent myths "undermining a balanced housing policy in Washington."

• Myth #1. Homeownership is the best housing option for everyone, all the time, everywhere.
  
• Myth #2. Subsidized housing is unnecessary; market forces will provide safe, decent and affordable housing for everyone.
  
• Myth #3. Federal housing subsidies go disproportionately to low-income renters in urban areas.

At a congressional briefing to release the report, veteran housing counselors said that providing low income homeownership was a very time- and money-intensive endeavor that required significant subsidies to help a small number of families. They said that their experiences taught them that homeownership could not replace successful rental assistance programs such as housing vouchers, and that many low income families are being hurt by the pressure and rhetoric from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and elsewhere to become homeowners.

Sponsoring organizations are the Center for Community Change (CCC), Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), Children's Defense Fund (CDF), Community Learning Project (CLP), Consumer Federation of America, Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership at Georgetown Public Policy Institute, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Council of La Raza, National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), and the National Urban League.