HUD Highlights – Des Moines Field Office E-Newsletter
June 2007, Volume 2, No. 2

Information by State  Print version

The is a semi-annual e-newsletter from HUD's Des Moines Field Office, to keep you informed about upcoming events, program updates and grant opportunities.

Dear HUD Stakeholder:

June is an exciting time to celebrate the success of Homeownership opportunities in Iowa. HUD offers many resources to help low-income families obtain the Dream of Homeownership. Please contact our office if your agency or clients are interested in Homeownership and continue to utilize the resources of our Iowa HUD web page to promote these opportunities.

	Bruce Ray
	Field Office Director

United Neighbors Keeps the Dream of Homeownership Alive and Well

Over 100 people become homeowners each year through the United Neighbors Dream Program in Davenport, IA and only a small fraction of those homeowners run into trouble with their mortgages later. New homeowners find that the Davenport agency is there to help every step along the way, even after their loan has closed.

Deb Snyder did everything right: She attended United Neighbors home buyer education classes before she pre-qualified for a home loan; She worked two jobs to save for a down payment; and, She had a home inspection. Deb bought an older home that needed repairs and United Neighbors sent in a crew to address the problems including lead paint hazards.

Two years later, Deb started missing payments due to a decrease in income. She suddenly found that her dream of homeownership was in jeopardy. Deb contacted United Neighbors and was referred to one of its HUD certified housing counselors. Deb recalled her appointment with two staff counselors, "I had a letter from the mortgage company telling me my house could be foreclosed, and I was very upset." They sat me down and explained that it doesn't have to end up this way - foreclosure. They were wonderful." The two counselors worked with Deb and her lender and eventually she was able to catch up and bring her mortgage payments current.

Ida Johnson, United Neighbors Executive Director says: "We try to serve people in a holistic way, so that they can get assistance from us not just on a one-time basis, but whenever they truly need help."

Although June is National Home Ownership Month, HUD-FHA, remains focused on providing homeownership opportunities throughout the year. Today over 70 percent of Americans are homeowners.

HUD applauds the men and women who work to achieve the dream of homeownership and is grateful for those organizations who provide counseling, lending, real estate services, housing construction and all the tools needed to get hard-working Americans into homeownership and keep them there. United Neighbors and their Dream Program has shown they are one of the agencies across the nation keeping the 'Dream of Homeownership' alive.