Pheonix, AZ – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. – will host a town hall titled With Foreclosures on the Rise, What Is the Fate of Homeownership? to discuss the future of Latino homeownership. The town hall will be on Thursday, June 21, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix.

Homeownership has served as the traditional vehicle to build wealth, but as foreclosures increase and housing markets cool, some are concerned as to whether homeownership can still fulfill this role. The town hall will include diverse voices speaking on the rise of mortgage default and foreclosures and will provide the community the chance to hear from housing practitioners on the effects this has on low-income families, the housing market, and homeownership in general.

Participants of the town hall, which will be moderated by Catherine Reagor, reporter for the Arizona Republic, include Dr. Sheila Harris, Director of Housing, State of Arizona; Hala Farid, Vice President, Citi Community Relations; Joann Hauger, Executive Director, Community Housing Resources of Arizona; Christina Diaz-Malone, Director of National Initiatives, Freddie Mac; and a representative from the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

The 2007 Annual NCLR Homeownership Network (NHN) Award for Latino Housing and Community Development Innovation will be presented immediately following the town hall. This year’s recipient is Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. for its excellence in and commitment to building stronger communities, allowing Latino families to build sustainable wealth. The presentation will feature Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO, and keynote speaker Felecia Rotellini, Superintendent, Arizona Department of Financial Institutions.

NHN is celebrating its tenth year of building wealth in Latino communities. The 45 NHN organizations are the touchstone for thousands of Latinos seeking to become homeowners or to protect their investment from predatory lending and foreclosure. Over the past ten years, more than 15,000 families have become first-time homeowners.

MEDIA ADVISORY

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