Winner Profile: El Centro, Inc.

Author:	Viviana Costa
Contact:	Viviana Costa
Date:	Mar 15, 2005
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Program:	Affiliate Awards Program
Region:	Midwest

Summary

The Home Ownership Center, a program run by El Centro, Inc., was the recipient of the 2005 Family Strengthening Award for the Midwest region.

Description

Affiliate Organization: El Centro, Inc.

Region: Midwest

Winning Program: Home Ownership Center

El Centro’s purpose is to create and sustain educational, social, and economic opportunities for families. The Home Ownership Center combines six services that promote healthy financial choices, assist families in saving for major goals, provide education and capital for homeownership, and provide continuing education for entire families on maintaining a safe home. These services include Home Buyer Education, Housing Rehab, Financial Literacy, Mortgage Lending, Home Maintenance classes, and Home Safety classes. The Home Ownership Center targets low-income Latino immigrants who may not have access to traditional sources of capital. By means of language-appropriate education, a housing inventory of low-cost rehabilitated units, financial literacy programs, and a focus on protecting assets through maintenance and safety, El Centro makes homeownership a reality for immigrant families. It provides nontraditional lending opportunities for immigrant families and generates excitement with funders because of the impact the program has in helping these families to purchase homes. Since 1996, 500 families have become homeowners, with 105 in the 2003-2004 fiscal year (representing $6 million in purchases in the Kansas City community), the median income of homeowners being $30,000.