The foreclosure crisis is threatening the American way of life, Dr. Todd Swanstrom says. He is an award-winning author of six influential books and one of this nation’s most respected authorities on public policy.

Swanstrom will visit the University of Tampa on March 26 for a presentation on the current foreclosure crisis.

He is a graduate of Princeton University and currently teaches Public Policy and Community Collaboration at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. Swanstrom is also engaged in numerous programs benefiting nearby communities.

Although an established expert in both social integrity and neighborhood dynamics, Swanstrom believes the issues facing the nation today are far more than just fields of study. He has devoted much of his time and career to the Des Lee foundation, a network of concerned and knowledgeable individuals dedicated to reforming and strengthening communities.

In particular, Swanstrom will be discussing the implications of his newest book, which is a recipient of the Michael Harrington award, ‘Place Matters,’ and the course of action he sees as most likely to end the current foreclosure crisis.

The core sentiment Swanstrom hopes to express is his belief in the power of individual communities to charter their own course and, with sufficient government backing, resolve the many problems resulting from foreclosure.

He rejects the classical view that one solution fits all and advocates instead a more independent approach, one befitting the incredible diversity and distinctiveness of neighborhoods across America.

Swanstrom is most optimistic about President Barack Obama’s new resolution regarding the foreclosure crisis, specifically his promise to divert nearly $80 billion to ease the desperation of countless homeowners and offer incentives to lenders to work with, rather than against, those dependent upon them. He sees this as a hopeful sign that the government, an invaluable ingredient of the healing salve which must be applied to the American economy, is finally recognizing its obligation to take action.

‘Collaboration among local governments, nonprofits and lenders is essential to address the crisis, but without supportive state and federal policies, local groups can only chip away at the edges of the foreclosure crisis,’ Swanstrom said.

This new plan, he feels, is perhaps the first glimmer of hope in an age of uncertainty, a candle held against the shadow looming over the struggling American economy, which, if left unchecked, threatens to engulf us all. Swanstrom’s presentation will take place in Reeves Theater at 4 p.m. The event is free.

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