Tuesday, June 18, 2003 (Orlando, Florida) It was fitting that on the day when the Census Bureau announced that the Hispanic community in the U.S. has grown to 38 million - 13 percent of the population, making it the largest minority group in the nation - the "Homeownership Express" visited Orlando to highlight the powerful way in which public-private partnerships are improving the lives of Hispanic individuals and families.

The site was Unibank, where a homeownership fair complete with Latin music, Cuban-style food and lots of educational materials had been set up on a hot, stormy afternoon. Fortunately, a large tent protected the musicians and hundreds of local residents when the skies opened up and a dramatic thunderstorm swept through.

Orange County Chairman Richard Crotty addresses the Orlando Homeownership event.

The bus rolled in at 4:00 p.m., honking its horn to signify the start of the festivities. After a prayer and a unique Latin-style rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner," the crowd heard from National Puerto Rican Coalition President Manny Mirabel, Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Gil Gonzalez and Orange County Chairman Richard Crotty.

The final speaker was HUD Secretary Mel Martinez, a long-time Orlando resident and former Orange County Chairman, who spoke about the Administration's efforts to increase homeownership among Hispanics.

According to the Census Bureau, 70 percent of Americans own their own homes. Yet, minority families continue to lag behind: in Florida, 61 percent of Hispanics own homes of their own, and for Puerto Ricans specifically, the homeownership rate drops to 56 percent. President Bush and Secretary Martinez are determined to improve upon those numbers and help more minority families find prosperity and peace of mind through homeownership.

Folks attending the Orlando fair had the opportunity to see the good things that can result when public and private partners work together. Irma Aguirre, who came to the podium with one of her young daughters in hand, was born in Michigan to migrant farm workers. Her family settled in Apopka, Florida, when she was twelve.

She worked full-time on the family farm after graduating from high school and seeing her marriage end in divorce. Irma and her two small daughters had to live in a single bedroom with no heat or air conditioning.

Through a family member, Irma heard of a program - a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office and HUD - where a family or individual could purchase a new home without a down payment, and the monthly mortgage payments would be reduced according to the household income and size. She applied for the program, and helped in the building of her new home through "sweat equity."

Today, Irma and her children have their own rooms and a yard, not to mention the comforts of heat and air conditioning. Irma went on to complete her business courses, and now works with Home-In-Partnership, the nonprofit organization that helped her build her house.

Irma's story showed everyone at the fair that no matter the obstacles, the American Dream of homeownership is accessible to all through hard work, determination, and the helping hand of public-private partnerships.