Atomic Bob's Stock Forum - The Golden Thread

While the overall homeownership rate has reached an all-time high of nearly 68 percent, recent statistics point to a homeownership gap. The second quarter 2002 Census data show that non-Hispanic whites have a 74.3% homeownership rate, while African-Americans have a 48% rate, Hispanics a 47.6% rate; and Asian-Americans and other races a 53.7% homeownership rate.

In June, President Bush announced an aggressive homeownership agenda to dismantle barriers to homeownership by providing down payment assistance, increasing the supply of affordable homes, increasing support for self-help homeownership programs, and simplifying the homebuying process and increasing education. The President also issued "America's Homeownership Challenge" to the real estate and mortgage finance industries to join in his effort to increase the number of minority homeowners by taking concrete steps to tear down the barriers to homeownership that face minority families.

The Bush Administration is working to increase homeownership among minority Americans through a number of new and expanded initiatives, as well as through ongoing programs administered by HUD and other federal departments, including:

Providing Downpayment Assistance. The single biggest barrier to homeownership is accumulating funds for a downpayment. The President has proposed $200 million annually for the American Dream Downpayment Fund to help roughly 40,000 families a year with their downpayment and closing costs. In addition, the Administration has proposed the use of Section 8 funding to assist with downpayments, and provides downpayment assistance to low-income and minority homebuyers through the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund at the Department of Treasury.

Increasing the Supply of Affordable Homes. The President wants to dramatically increase the supply of homes available to low and moderate income families. The President has proposed the Single-Family Affordable Housing Tax Credit, which will provide approximately $2.4 billion to encourage the production of 200,000 affordable homes for sale to low and moderate income families.

Increasing Support for Self-Help Homeownership Programs. The President's budget triples funding for organizations like Habitat for Humanity that help families help themselves become homeowners through 'sweat equity' and volunteerism in their communities.

Today's homebuyers face a confusing and complicated process. President Bush wants to empower homebuyers by making it easier for them to understand the process and benefit from cost savings. Through the Homebuyer Bill of Rights, the Bush Administration is proposing to make the settlement process easier for all consumers when purchasing a home, thereby protecting homebuyers through increased competition and simplicity. Working together, the Federal Trade Commission and HUD have begun targeting enforcement activities to stop predatory lenders from preying on uneducated homebuyers. The President also wants to expand financial education efforts so families can better understand what they need to do to become homeowners. The Departments of HUD, Treasury, and Education are working diligently to educate families about homeownership through counseling programs and financial literacy efforts. Specifically, HUD has proposed increasing housing counseling activities by 75% and is collaborating with the FDIC on a "MONEY SMART" program of financial education in minority neighborhoods.

Providing Better Financing Opportunities. The Departments of HUD and Agriculture make it possible for thousands upon thousands of families to achieve homeownership through the Federal and Rural Housing Administrations, which insure almost $100 billion in loans each year.

Re: More voters begin to blame

Disclaimer:

DON'T BELIEVE A DAMN WORD YOU READ ON THIS WEBSITE!

USE DISCERNMENT

DON'T BREAK THE LAW!