Stand Up for Justice: Elizabeth’s Story
After losing her 14-year-old son in a car accident, Elizabeth couldn’t bear to remain in her home with the memories of her son. She wanted a fresh start for herself and her children and was ready to make the leap to homeownership. Elizabeth received a referral to the Urban League’s Center for Housing and Financial Empowerment from Metro 311 to begin the homeownership process. She was matched with Housing Counselor Bianca, whom she calls “her greatest motivator.”
Despite being on Social Security Disability with a limited income, Elizabeth successfully purchased a home in a better neighborhood that accommodated her family’s needs, and her mortgage was less than what she was paying in rent. With the help of her housing counselor, Elizabeth leveraged the Down Payment Assistance Program to purchase a home and the Revert Redlining Mitigation Program, which provided $50,000 in renovation funding to customize her property with improvements, including the addition of a back deck, an updated kitchen, and an additional bathroom. “My kids each have their own bedroom and their own bathroom. And everyone has their own space, we even converted the foyer into a library for my eight-year-old daughter with a small couch and reading nook.”
“The best part of this homeownership process is the people and the support I received. The Urban League continued to check in with me, even after I purchased my home. Through phone calls and emails, I feel like I am part of the [Urban League] family.”
Elizabeth has shared her story to encourage others to become homeowners, even her younger sister, who has recently completed homeownership counseling at the Urban League and is in the process of buying a home.
Elizabeth Hancock, Housing Client
The Center for Housing and Financial Empowerment offers Homebuyer Education classes, taught by HUD-certified Housing Counselors and industry specialists in the fields of mortgage lending, home insurance, real estate, home inspection, and fair housing guidelines. The course is complemented by one-on-one home ownership counseling to help potential buyers achieve their goals, providing individualized budget and credit counseling, personalized work plans, financial reviews, and guidance through the loan application process. For more information, visit lul.org/housing or call (502) 585-4622.
