ACORN shell of itself as it renames office

ACORN is shutting its Brooklyn operation, only to replace it with another outfit by a different name.

In what sources called a desperate attempt at rebranding, the new organization, called New York Communities for Change, has many of the same board members as ACORN, shares similar goals of the troubled activist group, and will take over its lease on Nevins Street, an ACORN spokesman said.

"New York ACORN has closed its doors in New York City [and] there was a desire on the part of former members and staff to chart a new course with a new, independent organization that would get back to the basics of organizing," the spokesman said. "It reflects a desire on the part of progressive leaders and activists in New York, including former ACORN members and staff, to launch a new organization that can effectively advocate and fight for low-income people."

A separate statement put out by spokesman Scott Levenson blamed ACORN's troubles on "a series of vicious right-wing attacks over the past year and a half, and this has made it harder for ACORN to raise funds and organize and serve its members."

Unlike the Brooklyn-based ACORN, the new group is not affiliated with any national organization, according to a statement from Ann Sullivan, who represents the nonprofit. An ACORN branch in California announced a similar makeover.

One source with close ties to ACORN said the change was a desperate maneuver by the left-leaning organization to clear its bad name and continue raising private funds. "They're reinventing themselves," the source said. "The old brand is toxic, and so they have to reinvent themselves in order to apply for funding and start their operation all over again."

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