More Help For Low Income Homeowners

May 13, 2007

National organizations and businesses are becoming more progressive in helping low income families become homeowners, or maintaining their current homes. For example, Rebuilding Together, one of the nation’s largest volunteer home rehabilitation organizations, is now providing modifications and repairs on homes for low-income owners – particularly the elderly, disabled, and low-income families with children.

"Low-income elderly and disabled homeowners and families with children often have no place to turn when the roof begins to leak or the front steps crumble," said a Rebuilding Together spokesperson. "Our goal is to preserve these homes and neighborhoods and assure a warm, safe and dry home for people in need. Homeownership stabilizes and strengthens communities."

Each year, through 250 affiliates working in more than 800 communities in all 50 states, over 250,000 RT volunteers make repairs and improvements for needy families. The current 24 million low-income homeowner families is expected to grow to 28.5 million by year 2010, according to a RT report. More and more families are in the position of choosing between vital necessities such as food or medicine and a roof that doesn’t leak. Many disabled homeowners can’t afford the modifications that allow them to "age in place" and remain in their own homes. For more information, visit the RT Web site: www.rebuildingtogether.org.

NeighborWorks America is another national nonprofit organization created to help low-income homeowners. Supported by Congress, this group provides financial support, technical assistance and training for community-based home revitalization efforts.

NW often links homeowners in danger of foreclosures to a free counseling hotline (888-995-HOPE), provided by the Homeownership Preservation Foundation. It also establishes foreclosure intervention programs in cities with high rates of foreclosure, and conducts research to better understand the complexities surrounding current homeownership problems and their viable solutions. For more information, check out their Web site: www.nw.org/.

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