Latest news with #LiftUpHomeownershipProgram
Miami Herald
30-01-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
The 44 Percent: Reggae group Inner Circle honored, Jazz in the Gardens, Black homeownership
I remember the first house my parents bought. It was perfect for a couple that had two kids and one on the way and provided a comforting feeling for a young me who loved having her own room. I also remember how my grandmother helped my parents in that process. She and my grandfather were blessed with theirs, so why not help her son and his family? Not every Black person has the privilege to have help with buying a new home. Down payment assistance is crucial in that step but also essential in further building out the Black middle class at a time when some Black people are seeing challenges with becoming middle class. INSIDE THE 305: Saving for a down payment in Miami? A Black-owned bank is offering forgivable loans The pathway to homeownership can be challenging for those that don't have the funds, but one bank is looking to change that for Black residents. As Michael Butler writes: Could more Black residents in Miami build generational wealth by owning their homes? A new program offered by the Black-owned OneUnited Bank is offering first-time homeowners forgivable loans of up to $50,000 to try to make that happen. The bank's Lift Up Homeownership Program is meant to help first-time homebuyers who are Black, Latino, Native American, Asian or native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander make a down payment on a home. Dancehall, rap acts will be showcased at Miami Gardens' premiere music festival Jazz in the Gardens is a little less jazz this year, but a lot more dancehall and rap. The concert series announced more of its two-day lineup this week, with others expected to be announced as the weekend event approaches. The festival also marks the first major performance for dancehall legend Beenie Man in the U.S. OUTSIDE THE 305: A humanitarian waiver to freeze in U.S. foreign aid could offer some relief to Haiti Foreign aid should be flowing back to Haiti after a freeze on U.S. foreign assistance was walked back by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Miami Herald Haiti correspondent Jacqueline Charles reported. As Charles writes: The waiver, according to the State Department, is among billions of dollars in exemption requests that have been received since the administration hit pause on U.S. foreign assistance, a halt that according to the office of the State Department spokesperson had already prevented $1 billion 'in spending not aligned with an America First agenda.' Severe Weather Is Increasing the Cost of Living for Black Americans Extreme weather is contributing to the cost of living increase for Black Americans, Capital B reported. According to their reporting, the damage from extreme weather events in January, such as the wildfires and winter storms, have put economic losses at nearly $800 billion. As Adam Mahoney with Capital B writes: And while these crises affect everyone, Black Americans are feeling the impact the most. Underfunded communities are struggling to recover, jobs are disappearing, and insurance premiums are skyrocketing as the risk of displacement grows. These extreme weather events are disrupting industries you wouldn't normally associate with disasters, making it harder for Black families to access basic necessities like food and water. A recent report warns that without swift action to limit the impact of severe weather, it will cost children born in 2024 at least $500,000 up to $1 million over their lifetime. That's from higher living costs — like soaring housing costs and strained food supplies — and lower earnings from missed work. HIGH CULTURE Reggae legends honored at concert this weekend Perhaps fittingly, Reggae Month also coincides with Black History Month. On Sunday, concert series Reggae Genealogy will highlight reggae acts and honor reggae icons Inner Circle, known for their hit 'Bad Boys,' Wayne Wonder, and Donovan Germain. Tickets for the series, held at Broward Mall in the northeast parking lot near Broward Boulevard and University Drive, range from $15 to $60. General admission tickets at the door will be $30.
Miami Herald
27-01-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Saving for a down payment in Miami? A Black-owned bank is offering forgivable loans
Could more Black residents in Miami build generational wealth by owning their homes? A new program offered by the Black-owned OneUnited Bank is offering first-time homeowners forgivable loans of up to $50,000 to try to make that happen. The bank's Lift Up Homeownership Program is meant to help first-time homebuyers who are Black, Latino, Native American, Asian or native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander make a down payment on a home. 'This is an opportunity for someone coming out of school,' said OneUnited CEO Teri Williams. 'As opposed to paying rent somewhere, you can buy a small condo. This could be a place for you to start building up home equity so that five years down the road you can buy something larger. This can make a huge difference in building generational wealth.' Williams emphasized that the loan is forgivable once applicants live in their homes for five years, meaning borrowers will not have to pay back any of the loan if they stay for that amount of time. Funds from the program can be combined with funds from other first-time homeownership programs to better assist potential borrowers. Owning a home in Miami, which has been called 'the epicenter of the housing crisis,' is not cheap. According to a 2024 study, just 44% percent of Black residents in Miami-Dade County own homes, compared to about 63% of white residents and 51% of Hispanic residents. 'Our homeownership rates are lower, especially in this market,' Williams said of Black homeownership in Miami. 'It's too darn high to buy a home.' Beginning April 1, applicants can apply for funding online or by visiting OneUnited's Liberty City branch. They need to have already found a home they wish to purchase and be approved through OneUnited. Qualified applicants also must not earn more than 120% of the area median income — about $95,400 for a household of one person or $108,960 for a household of two people. Applicants must complete a HUD-approved buyer education course and pay at least $1,000 toward the purchase of the home. Once picked, program participants can also receive $1,500 to use toward closing costs. The countless number of OneUnited customers who have reached out to Williams about getting loans for new homes over the years is what motivated her to launch the program. 'People reach out all the time,' she said. 'We said, 'We got to do something different in 2025.'' As the head of one of the most prominent Black-owned banks in America, Williams is adamant about residents participating in the program and wants to see more Black community members take advantage of it. 'When we talk with providers of these programs, they struggle to get Black community participation,' she said. 'That's what we're really trying to focus on.'
