3 candidates say housing is a priority

Three of the six candidates for governor professed their dedication last night to expanding affordable housing programs.

About 650 people in Roxbury listened as independent Christy Mihos , Democrat Deval L. Patrick, and Grace Ross of the Green-Rainbow Party weighed in on issues including funding for a state-run low-interest mortgage program and a program to build more affordable housing.

The candidates appeared at a forum sponsored by the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance .

The crowd booed the names of candidates who didn't show up. Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, a Republican who has said she will not participate in debates until after the Democratic primary, declined the invitation; Democrat Christopher F. Gabrieli canceled at the last minute because of a scheduling conflict; and Democrat Thomas F. Reilly never confirmed whether he would attend.

``Remember who's here and remember who's not here," said Concetta Paul of South Boston, a member of the alliance's board. She invited people to fill out postcards to Healey, Reilly and Gabrieli, expressing disapproval of their absence. Leaders of the group promised to mail them to the candidates.

The candidates who participated in the forum promised to spend at least $5 million a year on the Massachusetts SoftSecond mortgage program , which provides below-market interest rates to low-income homebuyers. According to the alliance, $5 million would allow the program to reach 1,000 new homebuyers.

Each candidate also pledged a large increase in spending on the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which supports new construction of affordable housing. Patrick and Mihos said they would double spending on the program, to $40 million a year; Ross said she would like to fund it at $50 million or more.

A questioner briefly mentioned Ameriquest Capital Corp. ; Patrick recently resigned from the board of Ameriquest's parent company. The person asking the question called Ameriquest, which has been accused of predatory lending practices, ``the tip of a very nasty iceberg."

Patrick said he would support efforts to curb predatory lending, including alliance-backed legislation to require companies to follow reinvestment rules.

Patrick has been involved in addressing those practices for 20 years, dating to before his time as a civil rights attorney in President Clinton's Justice Department and through his time with Ameriquest.