ACORN branches renaming after scandal

CHICAGO — Affiliates of the once mighty liberal activist group ACORN — for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — are remaking themselves in a desperate bid to ditch the tarnished name of their parent organization.

Six months ago, videos showed ACORN workers giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute. Congress reacted by yanking ACORN’s federal funding, private donors held back cash and scores of ACORN offices closed.

But while the branches’ names are changing, most groups have kept the same offices and staff.

One of the latest groups to adopt a new name is ACORN Housing. Now, the group is calling itself the Affordable Housing Centers of America.

Others changing their names include what were among the largest affiliates: California ACORN is now Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and New York ACORN has become New York Communities for Change. More are expected.

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