On Wednesday, February 27, 2008 from 10 am to 1 pm, Cleveland City Council will host the Fighting Foreclosure and Abandonment Forum: A part of the Breaking the Cycle of Abandonment Initiative.  The Forum, held in Cleveland City Council Chambers, will serve as a platform for local activists from within government as well as the public and private sector to present testimony to the top presidential campaigns that highlights their efforts and specifies what action is needed from Washington to effectively fight foreclosure and abandonment. 

The Clinton Campaign has confirmed the attendance of former Bill Clinton Administration Cabinet Member Fred Hochberg and the Obama Campaign has confirmed the attendance of their National Policy Advisor Mark Alexander at the Forum. Due to positive communication with the McCain campaign, seats have been reserved for McCain representatives.
 
The City of Cleveland and the surrounding region is currently at the epicenter of a foreclosure crisis with the 44105 zip code, inside Cleveland, being at times ranked number one in the nation for foreclosures.  Though the crisis is most extreme in Cleveland and other rust belt cities, the foreclosure epidemic is a national one. With the March 4, 2008 presidential primary nearing and presidential candidates expected to be in Ohio at the end of February, Cleveland City Council is taking the opportunity to share Cleveland’s concerns with those that aspire to lead our nation as the next president of the United States.
 
Fred Hochberg will be attending the foreclosure forum.  He served as deputy then acting administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), an agency elevated to cabinet rank by President Bill Clinton.  He is currently Dean of the Milano, The New School for Management and Urban Planning.