Washington, D.C. – Members of the Service Employees International (SEIU) Maryland/DC State Council today announced their endorsement of DC At-Large City Council member Anita Bonds.

“Anita Bonds is helping to protect the District’s most vulnerable residents who are increasingly being priced out of their own city,” said Jaime Contreras, State Council President and 32BJ SEIU Vice President. “By creating more affordable housing, Bonds’ efforts would strengthen communities that are critical to the District’s economy and identity.”

Bonds introduced the “Affordable Homeownership Preservation and Equity Accumulation Amendment Act of 2013” which will affect homeownership projects that utilize the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) in neighborhoods designated as distressed. The bill includes a “Recapture & Recycle” program to return investment from home sales back into the HPTF coffers, which help create homeownership opportunities for low-to moderate income purchasers.

The SEIU Maryland and D.C. State Council represent nearly 45,000 members, 20,000 whom live or work in the District, in the areas of health care, public services, education, property services and the non-profit sector that are united to help improve the workplace and lives of not only SEIU members, but working families across the region. It includes 32BJ SEIU, Local 500, 1199 SEIU UHE, Local 400 PG, Local 722, and SEIU NAGE 5000.

With more than 145,000 members in 11 states, including 17,000 in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.

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