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:

Conversation with Alexandra Goossens-Ishii

Alexandra Goossens-Ishii works as Programme Coordinator for environment, climate change & biodiversity for Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a community-based Buddhist organization that promotes peace, culture and education. Her work focuses on the UN processes related to the environment, climate change...

How Norway Built an Economy That Puts People First

From Isabella Breda / Yes! Magazine: Despite a nationwide months-long coronavirus lockdown in Norway, the economy was able to remain stable due to a “decades-long effort to create an equitable economy” that helped the government to enact a package that...

Conversation with Alexandra Quinn & Sue McCarron

Alexandra Quinn, CEO of Health Leads, has extensive experience in the non-profit and governmental sectors, focusing on equity, justice, education, and health. Her leadership builds on years of collaboration with healthcare systems, public health, and community partners nationwide. Health Leads...

It’s more than just cash’: Young Seoulites navigate future with city’s youth allowance program

From Lee Suh-yoon / The Korea Times: The Youth Allowance Program in Seoul gives lower to middle-class residents (aged 19 to 34) a monthly stipend of 500,000 won ($418) for up to six months to ease the financial burden of...

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...

Results From The City That Just Gave Away Cash

From Emma Peaslee / NPR: A guaranteed income pilot program in Stockton, California, resulted in improved mental health and even increased full-time employment rates. The extra cash gave recipients who were struggling with poverty the mental and financial bandwidth to...