Meeting the Twin Goals in the Twin Cities

Thursday, June 12, 2003

Tuesday, June 10 (St. Paul, Minnesota) St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly invited the "Homeownership Express" to town to see how one city's commitment to creating affordable housing is lifting families to a better life.

[Image: Homeownership Month logo]
The Mayor has made housing the centerpiece of his administration and has promised to create 5,000 new units of housing by 2006. A select committee of housing and business professionals oversees the City's ambitious housing plan, which has already created over 1,600 units in its first year.
[Photo 1: Mayor Randy Kelly at the podium]
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly addresses the homeownership event. Listening intently is new homeowner Poeum Chhil.
[Photo 2: Deputy Secretary Alfonso Jackson at the podium]
Deputy Secretary Alphonso Jackson said HUD intends to reduce regulatory barriers that inhibit homeownership.
The Express visited the first phase of St. Paul's Railroad Island/Phalen Corridor Housing Development. Here, Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services and Habitat for Humanity are developing 11 homes. Over the next four years, the project will create 150 homes for sale in Railroad Island; at least half of them will be reserved for buyers with less than 80 percent of the area median income. Financing for the project is coming from a mix of federal, state, private and city sources.

Knowing how to buy a home - and how to keep it - is critically important for anyone interesting in becoming a homeowner. That's why today's event also focused on the importance of both homeowner education and foreclosure prevention counseling.

St. Paul resident Poeum Chhil knows firsthand that understanding the ins and outs of the homebuying process can open the doors to homeownership. Four years ago, Poeum and her family arrived in this country from Cambodia. Today, she owns a home of her own - thanks in part to homeowner education provided by the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing.

[Photo 3: The new homeowner, Poeim Chhil and family in front of their new house]
New homeowner Poeum Chhil and her family on the steps of their new home. The family came from Cambodia four years ago, took a homeownership counseling class and now have a new home.

The City of St. Paul and its partners for homeownership - which include Fannie Mae, LISC, Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services, Habitat for Humanity, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, St. Paul Area Association of REALTORS, Phalen Corridor Initiative, Home Ownership Center, and U.S. Bank - helped to drive home today's education message. Fannie Mae announced that it will provide Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services and the Home Ownership Center each with a $5,000 corporate contribution to support their work in housing education.

"By breaking down regulatory barriers at all levels of government, we are creating an environment to increasing minority homeownership," said Deputy Secretary Jackson.

Tomorrow: Prospective homeowners gather in Milwaukee, once known as the "gathering place by the waters."
 
Content Archived: September 09, 2009