Nehemiah: Making the American Dream possible for first-time homeowners

From CBS News: The Nehemiah project began in the 1980s building privately-owned homes on land that nobody wanted in East Brooklyn and sold the homes at prices that were affordable to working class families. Church and community organizers mobilized local politicians to sell the land for almost nothing and provide subsidies for community members and raise money that could be used for loans. The program has built 6,500 homes and created an estimated $1.5 billion of wealth for first time Black and Latino homeowners.

Click here to read the original story.

Issue Areas:

Housing, Land Use, Sustainable Development

Impact Areas:

Distributed Trust and Power, Equity

Actors:

BIPOC Communities, Lending, Banking, and Financial Institutions

Communities Served:

BIPOC Communities, Communities Experiencing Economic Hardship

Strategies:

Collective Action, Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals, Redefining Land / Land Ownership

Success Factors:

Building Distribution Systems, Eliminating Barriers, Embracing the Power of Relationships, Leveling the Playing Field, Meeting People Where They Are At, Overcoming the Big Challenges

Geographic Region:

North America

Countries:

United Kingdom

Date:

September 11, 2022

More Resources:

This is what one of the world’s largest experiments in basic income looks like

From Meaghan Tobin and Márvio Dos Anjos / Rest of World: Mumbuca is a digital currency used in Maricà’s basic income program. Residents, with few eligibility requirements, can qualify for a monthly stipend to purchase goods and services using a...

Why one Ontario town moved to a four-day workweek

From John Michael McGrath / TVO Today: Local government staff members in Zorra can choose to opt-in for longer workdays four days a week in exchange for three-day weekends. The change allows for more flexibility, productivity, and employee satisfaction. Read...

Conversation with Sean Watson

Sean is the Chief Executive Officer of the Mountain Hazelnut Venture Private Limited in Bhutan. With innovative financing, Mountain Hazelnuts partners and innovates with smallholder farming households and community groups throughout Bhutan to generate long-term income, revitalize vulnerable communities, and...

Inside the Nation’s Largest Guaranteed Income Experiment

From Abby Vesoulis, Abigail Abrams / TIME: A guaranteed income program is giving people the financial security to invest in themselves, avoid predatory loans, pay off debt, and improve their general quality of life. The lack of conditions on how...

Conversation with Chuck Spong

Chuck Spong is the Executive Director of Love Out Loud, a collaborative organization that connects leaders, volunteers, and resources to align efforts and mobilize communities in their areas of passion and giftedness. Since 2012, Chuck has focused on fostering partnerships...

Dubai becomes world’s first paperless government

From Varun Godinho / Gulf Business: The government of Dubai became the world’s first paperless government with all 45 government entities providing digital services. Becoming entirely digital has been more efficient for public service delivery and reduces harmful environmental impacts....