Lifting a Family into Homeownership

Yvette and Eric had grown weary of living in an apartment, and dreamed of a home of their own. The couple had been paying $700 a month in rent for a two-bedroom dwelling they shared with their two children. They were on a fixed income, and after two banks turned them down for a mortgage, homeownership seemed out of reach. A television advertisement about a down payment assistance program administered by HOPE pointed to a solution. With a strong credit score, Yvette qualified for the NeighborhoodLIFT program, which provided eligible homebuyers with up to $7,500 in down payment assistance. The family moved into a four-bedroom, two-bath home, allowing the children to each have their own bedroom. And, their monthly mortgage payment is less than what they were paying in rent. “This is our first and last house,” says Yvette.