Homeownership got a home of its very own on recent Wednesday evening in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, with the grand opening of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority's brand-new homeownership center.

Opened midway through National Homeownership Month and as part of the City's "Come Home to Norfolk, Now!" homeownership initiative, the NRHA Homeownership Center is the result of years of planning and preparation plus help from organizations like HUD, the Virginia Housing Development Authority and Wachovia/First Union Bank.

New homeowners Curtis, Michelle and son Antoine Lee attended homebuyer classes and received guidance and support from NRHA as they made their journey into homeownership.

Simply put, the NRHA Homeownership Center is committed to the idea of "one stop" homebuying and, for the first time under one roof, brings together the considerable resources and proven approaches of two very successful NRHA homeownership programs -- the HomeNet program that links eligible families to appropriate programs and available resources and the Housing Opportunities program provides the educational and counseling services which help families understand and get comfortable with the "A,B,Cs" of buying a home.

While Anne Davis of HUD Richmond and Janice Burgess of VHDA applaud, the ribbon is officially cut by Bill Layton, NRHA Board, Bob Jenkins, NRHA Deputy Executive Director, Joshua Paige, NRHA Board Chair, Homeownership Center staff members LaShawn Fortes, Ann Barnes and (hidden) Lori Burden, and NRHA Executive Director Ernie Freeman.

Potential homebuyers can get the Center's help two ways. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, they can visit the Norfolk Homeownership Center that takes up the entire 5th floor in the accessible and convenient NRHA headquarters. Or, they can call the Norfolk Homeownership Center's 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week Homeownership Hotline.

Either way, they'll have free and ready access to the Center's certified housing counseling, homeownership education classes, individualized financial assessments, budget and credit counseling and its seller/buyer network.

"Now that this center is a reality," said HUD's Anne Davis who attended the opening, " NRHA's in a state-of-the-art position to help even more families make their dreams of homeownership come true."