Homeownership, a Necesary Step for Integration of Latinos/as in Northfield
Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on October 13, 2007
All of us who have purchased a home, know that it is a lot of work, requires a lot of knowledge and more than anything it requires access to resources and good financial planning. Without these and other key considerations, many people end-up in foreclosures.
In recent months, as part of the Newcomer Project that we undertook in partnership with the Northfield CAC, I have been putting together a plan with projects that deliver key elements of this program. The “green homes” project that I blogged about recently is one of them.
Another key project to deliver on the path to integration of the local Latino community in Northfield is related to home ownership, minorities still lag behind in this aspect of economic integration though it is recognized as a key aspect of healthy communities.
So where would one start to address the many complex and important issues associatd with learning the process, understanding the challenges and finding homes that fit the economic profile of many of the local Latino families.?
One key step I know applies for all cases weather we are experts or new to an issue, is to ask for help. So, last Friday, I went to Saint Paul to meet with folks who know this work and have done it well for a long time.
The story is more complex, I was looking for help but help came to me through an e-mail from Susan Jackson, of American Dream Services, she lives in Northfield but works in St. Paul and was interested in offering this kind of training here in our area. I had information that Maritza Mariani was an Associate director of the Neighborhood Development Alliance in St. Paul and that their reputation in this area is among the best, but Susan was already talking with Maritza about this issue, so when her e-mail came, I was ready to move on the issue.
We met last Friday at American Dreams office in St. Paul and are now moving forward to put together a series of home ownership education trainings in Northfield. I will be posting new blogs on this project as there are many issues to cover, from predatory lending to what comes after the workshops, for now I feel that having these top notch team behind us is a solid start.
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I agree. Homeownership is a big undertaking that requires the right amount of knowledge from the beginning. It also requires access to proper resources, including sound financial planning advice.
In Michigan, there is a new program airing on cable access channels across the state. It is called, Mi Sueño. The program walks potential homebuyers through the home buying process. It also warns about predatory lending dangers and other concerns that could scare away a potential homebuyer.
The best part–the show was produced completely in Spanish, with English subtitles. This makes the information much more likely to reach each member of our group.
Housing markets across the country are need of programs like this. The Michigan State Housing and Development Authority, along with The Michigan Hispanic Caucus (two groups that developed and implemented the idea) obviously understand that change has to happen at each level of the process–this includes education on the front-end.
Albeit small, this program is an exciting step for homeownership in Michigan. With programs like this, we can create a culture of educated consumers who are no longer frightened away from the home buying process. I only hope other states follow suit in this critical mission.