Neighborhood Stabilization Success

"From the age of about twelve years old, I have had my heart set on being a homeowner. My mother made sure that our family grew up in a home instead of an apartment". The genuine glee and excitement is still evident in her eyes, as Shareka Fisher, of Winston-Salem, NC, describes with enthusiasm what her journey of homeownership entailed. She decided that she would stay focused and utilize the resources available to her in pursuing her dream of buying a home of her own. A few years ago, Ms. Fisher had encouraged one of her friends to look into buying a home; and to her surprise, the friend had done just that - purchased a home! It was then that Ms. Fisher decided to re-focus her efforts on homeownership. Ms. Fisher had faced the obstacles of rebuilding her credit, saving, and keeping up with a budget in preparation for life as a homeowner. The Center for HomeOwnership (a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency), in collaboration with other affordable housing partners, provided Ms. Fisher with the resources that enabled her to be the first homeowner to receive down payment assistance through the Forsyth County/City of Winston-Salem Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Ms. Fisher was able to purchase a foreclosed home at a discount while receiving funds to assist her with down payment and closing costs.

Photo of Dee Oliver and Shareka Fisher

Ms. Fisher's home purchase was made affordable for her with the NSP funding in addition to other grants and/or vouchers. "Some people would tell me that I did not make enough money to buy a house, or would ask me who I would call if my sink needed to be fixed", said Fisher. "I stayed focused and I was determined to buy a home." She worked with local Allen-Tate REALTOR, Dee Oliver, who intently listened to Ms. Fisher's needs and wishes in identifying foreclosed homes for her to consider. Ms. Oliver said, "I enjoyed working with Ms. Fisher. She was knowledgeable about the process. She was clear in expressing her needs and realistic in her wishes. All I had to do was listen to her and put my professional skills to work in delivering. The whole process of working with the NSP program was seamless." Through strong collaboration, communication and outreach, The Center for HomeOwnership is continuing on the path of assisting first-time homebuyers and stabilizing families through the use of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. These funds are provided through HUD's allocation under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. In North Carolina, the NSP grants are administered by the Commerce Department's Division of Community Assistance.

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