JUNE 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 6.2

AROUND THE COUNTRY
BUY HOMES FOR $0 DOWN.
Bill in Congress would let First Responders
buy a home for $0 down.
By Suzie Ziegler
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A
bipartisan bill sponsored
by Senators Marco Rubio
(R-Florida) and Jon Ossoff
(D-Georgia) aims to make
homeownership more attainable
for first responders
and teachers. Rubio held a
press conference during National
Police Week to highlight
the bill he first introduced
in October 2021.
“It’s a law designed to help
the people who help us,” Rubio
told Fox News on Sunday.
“They’re struggling in many
parts of this country to be
able to afford to live in the
cities that they’re serving.”
The HELPER Act (Homes for
Every Local Protector, Educator
and Responder) would
provide a one-time, $0 down
home loan option for civil
servants, ABC 10 reported.
First responders must have
served at least four years to
qualify for the program, according
to Fox News.
Police leaders celebrated
the bill, saying it could attract
more officers to expensive
housing markets.
Gus Papathanasiou, the
chairman of the U.S. Capitol
Police labor committee, said
the bill could help alleviate
the police recruiting crisis.
“These are incredibly difficult
times to recruit young
men and women to law enforcement,”
Papathanasiou
told Fox News. “The HELPER
Act gives us an important
tool to help officers access
the housing market and have
their slice of the American
dream, which is homeownership.”
The tragedy in Uvalde has touched us all. The loss of these young children and
teachers is heartbreaking. Our hearts bleed for the parents who have to lay
For 38 years, The BLUES Police Magazine has served the law enforcement
these young souls to rest. If you were on this scene, the images of this horrible
community in Texas. Each month, we highlight the men and women in
tragedy are forever etched in your mind. No matter how hard you try, you can
law enforcement and their sacrifices for their community. Sometimes
never
they
forget
pay the
what
ultimate
you saw.
sacrifice
After covering
with their
this
life.
event
Other
and
times,
speaking
these men
with
and
parents
women and first are responders, injured duty The BLUES and lose wants the ability to do more to work than their just extra report jobs what
happened. and provide We want for their to do families. everything Thankfully we can some to support non-profit not only groups the and families
who individuals lost loved hold ones, fundraisers but all the for first these responders officers, who and were The BLUES involved is happy in one to way
or another. promote Please these events. donate But whatever we want you to can. do more. The BLUES So beginning will join this forces month, with
other The non-profits BLUES has in set Uvalde up a special to determine assistance the best fund use whereby of these our funds readers and can ensure
donate they benefit money the to assist families these and officers first responders. and their families. The BLUES The will BLUES be donating currently
$500 has to over this 100,000 fund. Let’s readers break each the month. goal of If $100,000 everyone and donated show only Uvalde
the first
how $1 much a month, we care. we could raise over $1 million a year. Let’s do our part and
make a difference. God Bless our First Responders and God Bless our
readers for making a difference.
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18 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 19