The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is an international collection of autonomous community-based organizations that advocated for low- and moderate-income families. The association was founded in 1970 by Wade Rathke and Gary Delgado, and, at its peak in the US, had over 500,000 members and more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities.
Organization and budget In the US, ACORN was composed of a number of legally distinct nonprofit entities and affiliates including a nationwide umbrella organization established as a 501(c)(4) that performed lobbying; local chapters established as 501(c)(3) nonpartisan charities; and the national nonprofit and nonstock organization, ACORN Housing Corporation. ACORN's priorities included: better housing and wages for the poor, more community development investment from banks and governments, better public schools, labor-oriented causes and social justice issues. ACORN pursued these goals through demonstration, negotiation, lobbying for legislation, and voter participation.
Until the controversies of 2008 and 2009, in the US ACORN had an annual budget of approximately US$25 million, with approximately 10% of those funds coming from federal sources, a smaller figure from state sources, and the rest coming from supporters and membership. HUD estimated that ACORN received $42 million in federal funds since the 2000 budget year; the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee estimated that ACORN received $53 million since 1994.
History
1970–1975
ACORN was founded in 1970 by Wade Rathke, Gary Delgado, and George Wiley as a grassroots organization advocating for low- and moderate-income families. Rathke, who had previously dropped out of Williams College to promote draft resistance for Students for a Democratic Society, sought to mobilize working-class and marginalized communities into a political force.
ACORN’s early efforts focused on welfare rights activism in Arkansas, inspired by a clause in the state's welfare laws that allowed recipients to obtain necessary items such as clothing and furniture. This campaign laid the foundation for the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now, which later expanded into the national ACORN network.
The organization aimed to unite welfare recipients and low-income workers around shared economic and social issues, including school lunches, unemployment benefits, Vietnam veterans' rights, and access to emergency medical care. ACORN’s model combined direct action, community organizing, and policy advocacy, which were strategies that would feature in the organization's activism in subsequent decades.
1975–1980
In 1975, ACORN expanded into Texas and South Dakota. Later that year, on December 13, sixty leaders from the three ACORN states elected the organization’s first associate Executive Board and its first president, Steve McDonald, to oversee national matters.
Over the next five years, ACORN continued its expansion, establishing chapters in at least three new states annually, reaching 20 states by the end of the decade. As its influence grew, ACORN launched its first multi-state campaign. In 1978, the organization held a national convention in Memphis, drawing 1,000 members. At the convention’s conclusion, ACORN delegates marched to the Democratic Party Conference, where they introduced a nine-point "People’s Platform." The platform was officially ratified in 1979, forming the foundation of ACORN’s platform
During the 1980 presidential election, ACORN actively promoted its People’s Platform. ACORN organized demonstrations targeting both major party candidates, demanded a meeting with President Jimmy Carter, and staged a protest outside the home of his campaign finance chair. The organization also presented its proposals to the Republican Party platform committee.
1981–1994 During the 1980s and early 1990s, ACORN expanded its operations while increasing its involvement in political activism and housing rights campaigns. By 1984, ACORN had chapters in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, reaching a total of 27 states. It continued advocating for low-income communities by engaging in national elections, lobbying for legislative reforms, and expanding its grassroots organizing efforts.
Growth and Expansion In 1982, ACORN established its first legislative office in Washington, D.C. to strengthen its lobbying efforts. By the 1984 United States presidential election, ACORN sought to endorse a candidate but did not reach the required 75% internal polling threshold, though there was strong support for Jesse Jackson. The organization also pushed for local election reforms in cities like Pittsburgh, Columbia, and Sioux Falls, advocating for single-member district voting to improve minority and low-income representation.
By 1988, ACORN had over 70,000 members in 28 states. It played a role in national politics, hosting its National Convention in Atlanta alongside the 1988 Democratic National Convention. In the early 1990s, it focused on banking reforms, tenant rights, and voter access.
Political and Housing Campaigns ACORN launched a series of major protests throughout this period. In 1982, it organized the "Reagan Ranches" protest, setting up tent cities in Washington, D.C. and 35 other cities to criticize the administration’s social spending cuts. ACORN members later marched on the White House and testified before Congress regarding housing affordability.
In 1990, ACORN intensified its focus on housing rights, pressuring banks to comply with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). At its 1990 National Convention in Chicago, members staged a squatting demonstration at a Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) property to protest bank foreclosure policies. ACORN also staged a two-day takeover of the House Banking Committee hearing room in 1991 to fight against CRA rollbacks.ACORN affiliates rebrand after video scandal; NBC News; March 15, 2010
In 1992, ACORN hosted the ACORN-Bank Summit in New York City, pressuring banks to increase lending to low-income neighborhoods. Protests at Citibank’s headquarters led to negotiations on lending practices. In 1993, ACORN launched a national campaign against redlining, targeting companies like Allstate, which later agreed to a $10 million partnership with ACORN and NationsBank to expand homeownership opportunities.
ACORN also played a key role in the passage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ("Motor Voter Act"), which expanded voter registration at motor vehicle bureaus. Following the law’s enactment, ACORN pursued lawsuits in Illinois, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania to enforce its provisions.
By 1994, ACORN’s activism had positioned it as a major force in housing, electoral reform, and economic justice efforts, paving the way for its later focus on living wage campaigns and broader labor rights advocacy.
1995–2007: Expansion, Living Wage Campaigns, and Political Influence
From 1995 to 2007, ACORN expanded its advocacy beyond housing rights, focusing on Living wage laws, Voter registration, Banking reform, and labor rights. It became a powerful grassroots force, engaging in national politics, corporate accountability campaigns, and election-related efforts.
Living Wage and Workers' Rights Campaigns In the late 1990s, ACORN lead early examples of living wage campaigns, successfully pushing for minimum wage increases in over 15 cities. This effort culminated in the 1996 California Proposition 210 ballot initiative, which raised the state’s minimum wage. The organization was instrumental in creating the Working Families Party in New York in 1998, using fusion voting to elect progressive candidates. This work would continue into the early 2000s as ACORN intensified efforts to improve labor conditions for low-wage workers, advocating for paid sick leave, unionization, and wage theft protections.
Voter Registration and Election Reform ACORN played a major role in Voter registration drives, registering over 1.5 million low-income voters from 2000 to 2006. It lobbied for electoral reforms, including Early voting, Same-day registration, and mail-in ballots. However, its voter registration efforts became politically contentious, with Republicans accusing ACORN of fraudulent registrations, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, ACORN ran Project Vote, targeting historically disenfranchised communities. The George W. Bush administration later investigated ACORN’s voter registration practices, but did not find substantial wrongdoing.
Banking Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Efforts Following its success in pressuring Citibank in the early 1990s, ACORN expanded its campaign against predatory lending, targeting major financial institutions. By the early 2000s, it secured agreements with major banks to increase lending transparency and reduce discriminatory lending practices. In 2002, ACORN negotiated a settlement with Household International (now part of HSBC), resulting in a $484 million payout to consumers for predatory loan practices.
Internal Union Disputes In 2003, ACORN faced a labor dispute within its own organization when field organizers attempted to unionize under the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that ACORN violated labor laws by retaliating against employees, leading to a legal battle over unionization rights.
Hurricane Katrina and Disaster Relief Efforts In 2005, ACORN assisted low-income residents in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It helped rebuild communities, fought against displacement, and pressured FEMA to provide greater assistance to affected families. The organization also advocated for renters’ rights, ensuring displaced tenants were not evicted from federally subsidized housing.
Political Engagement By 2006, ACORN had established chapters in over 100 cities across 40 states. It played an active role in the 2006 midterm elections, advocating for progressive policies and pushing for increased access to voter registration and fair labor practices.
During this period, ACORN positioned itself as a nationally recognized force in social justice activism. However, accusations of voter registration fraud, labor disputes, and funding controversies began eroding its public image, leading into the challenges it faced in 2008 and beyond.
2008–2009 Accusations of voter fraud ACORN has a legally distinct political action arm that frequently endorsed causes and candidates, including the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. ACORN lobbied every Democratic National Convention since 1980 and had members elected as delegates to those conventions; ACORN also lobbied at Republican conventions. ACORN was criticized by Republicans for its support of Democratic candidates and for its general support of political positions that are more often favored by Democrats.
During the debate on the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, some commentators claimed that a draft provision (omitted in the adopted bill) to give money to funds run by the U.S. Department of the Treasury could lead to money going to groups like ACORN. When asked how much money ACORN or other community groups would get, a spokesman for Financial Services Committee chairman Barney Frank, said, "Absolutely none. All funds would go to state and local governments." Critics also claimed that ACORN's complex organizational structure allowed it to escape public scrutiny.