Last month, the Atlanta Homeownership Center presented certificates of completion to the first graduates of its Homebuyer Education Class. The eight graduates were HUD Homeownership Center (HOC) employees, and represented all divisions within the HOC. The training came about after the center's employees continued to ask questions and express interest in becoming first-time homebuyers.

1st Row: Boris Whiteside (trainer), Robert Martin; 2nd Row: Charlsie Harris, A. Carol Johnson, LaVeta Ware, Volky Garcia (trainer); 3rd Row: Joyce Spruill, Tom Renick, Everett Blake, Ruth Trembley (trainer).

The classes began on April 25th, and the curriculum included sessions on the importance of budgeting, debt management and how to read a credit report. Training was provided by the Processing and Underwriting Division. The participants received information on how to order a (free) copy of their credit report, and were encouraged get a copy before the class began so they could have a clear understanding of their payment record and credit score. In the following weeks, Processing and Underwriting staff provided instruction on working with a real estate agent, the importance of obtaining a home inspection, shopping for a loan, the loan process and loan closing, guidance on the various types of homeowner's insurance policies and buying the correct amount of coverage, useful tips on maintaining a home after closing and routine maintenance concerns.

The HUD Atlanta Program Support Division provided information on preventing foreclosure and tools now available to help prevent losses, and the class received crucial information on fair housing from Sherri R. Smith, Esq., Senior Trial Attorney, Office of Counsel, Civil Rights Division. At the final session, Boris Whiteside, Chief, Real Estate Owned Division, answered the group's many questions about HUD homes and the Department's policy regarding employees purchasing a property in HUD's inventory.

Jim Chaplin, Regional Director, Southeast Caribbean Region, shared his home buying insights with the group and expressed congratulations and best wishes to the participants.Charles E. Gardner, Director, Atlanta Homeownership Center and Debra F. Robinson, Director, Processing and Underwriting Division presented certificates to the graduates. Sharron J. Kelly, Deputy Regional Director, also was on hand to offer congratulations to the class for taking this important step towards homeownership.

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In fact, Ms. Johnson is a celebrity of sorts as well as a new homeowner, all because of her honesty. Last year, Wanda Johnson found $120,000 that fell out of an armored car. She was on her lunch hour from her job at a local hospital. A single mother of five children, she was in dire financial straits. There was no one to see her. She put the bag, marked "Deposit" and "$120,000" in her car and finished her shift at work. And then she called the police and returned the money to its rightful owner.

Her good deed was reported by the local news media, and it even inspired sermons about her honesty at churches across the country. The Georgia General Assembly passed a House resolution recognizing and commending her, and she received national recognition, too - her strong and honest character has been documented on CBS's 48 Hours, and in People Magazine. But the best was yet to come: when the City's Housing Department learned of her heroic act, they decided to give her more than recognition. The city contacted Ms. Johnson, Suntrust Bank and the New Legacy Community Development Corporation to help start the partnership that would be necessary to make Ms. Johnson's dream of home ownership a reality.

Through the Savannah-Chatham Land Bank Authority, the city provided the vacant lot. Using HUD HOME funds, the City's Housing Department provided technical assistance and construction financing, and the City's Water & Sewer Bureau installed new water and sewer laterals (as part of the City's HOME match requirement and Savannah's inner-city infill housing initiative). The Housing Department and Sun Trust Bank are providing permanent financing. Ms. Johnson also is contributing toward the purchase of her house with part of the modest reward she received.

This was just one very satisfying event in Savannah, which issued a Homeownership Month proclamation and worked in partnership with HUD throughout National Homeownership Month. In addition, the city promoted and acted to carry out its Dream Maker Program - using multiple partnerships that included HUD, local banks, non-profit organizations, builders, developers and realtors - to make the dream of homeownership come true for Savannah's low- and moderate-income persons.