Louisville Homeowners and Housing Partners
Celebrate National Homeownership Month

Congresswoman Anne Northup and HUD Deputy Regional Director Sharron Kelly congratulate Mrs. Amule on becoming a new homeowner.

Ato Amule now shares in the American Dream of homeownership thanks to HUD's Section 8 to Homeownership Program, an initiative that allows eligible families to use their HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers to qualify for a mortgage. A celebration was hosted at her home in recognition of National Homeownership Month and President Bush's initiative to increase homeownership, particularly among minority households.

Ato Amule is one of sixteen homeowners in the Louisville area who have purchased a home using the Section 8 Homeownership Program and her home was the location of this year's celebration. "I am so happy. It has been very hard moving around from place to place," Mrs. Amule said. "I am so grateful to have a permanent home that I can call my own, and my children are so happy too."

Joining Mrs. Amule for the celebration were all of the local partners who have made this program available in Kentucky: Congresswoman Anne Northup, the Louisville Metro Mayor's office, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank, Louisville Metro Housing Authority, Louisville Urban League, Republic Bank, Center for Women and Families, and many others. Inspired by the celebration, the Executive Director of Dare to Care, a local food bank, offered to partner with the Louisville Metro Housing Authority to provide 100 pounds of food to each family who purchases a home using this program in the Louisville area.

The Section 8 to Homeownership Program began in Jefferson County in 1997 and is now being made available nationwide by those housing agencies that choose to participate. More than 100 people in the Louisville Metro area who currently hold Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for rental assistance have enrolled in housing counseling classes in hopes of becoming homeowners as well.

Find out more about National Homeownership Month and the Section 8 to Homeownership participating housing agencies in Kentucky on our website.