TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The housing market has been challenging for low income families and first-time home buyers. One local non-profit is working to help make it easier financially for families in southern Arizona by showing them what grants are available to get them into a home.
"We have a long...systemic problem with racial equity around homeownership," said Meghan Heddings. "So White Americans still continue to have homes at a much higher rate than African Americans or Hispanics. And so we're trying to bring equity to that landscape."
Family Housing Resources, a local non-profit, has helped more than 321 clients this past year and assisted over 23 households with $600,000 in down payment assistance.
"Most of it is low income or extremely low income that we're working with, and making sure that they look at their budget, their financial picture today and then work towards that long term goal of homeownership and some folks are closer than they think," Heddings said. "And some are a little bit farther away and we just continue to work with them until they're ready."
The program connects families with programs offered to help with down payment assistance and other grants available to first home buyers. They also provide free financial education.
Cevar Thompson recently moved to Tucson and has attended some of those financial classes.
"The financial class was great. Just the way that they offer these classes for free and it gives you different information and we learn from each other learn from the instructor and just becoming financially stable," Thompson said.
"Hopefully I will purchase a home one day here," Thompson said. But for right now, she said her goal is "to keep and try to get myself situated and acclimated to the city and everything else. I don't even know where to begin with the house search."
Family Housing Resources recently received a grant from Bank of America to expand their program. For more information on home buyer education, down payment assistance or even emergency covid 19 housing support, visit their website.
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Denelle Veselik is an anchor and investigative reporter for KGUN 9. It's been her dream to tell your stories for the past decade. She is extremely curious and wants to continue to use her storytelling for the greater good. Share your story ideas and important issues with Denelle by emailing denelle.veselik@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.
