Moments in Homeownership

Registered nurse Etoya James was working 60 hours a week at two jobs, caring for patients at Baton Rouge General Hospital and at East Louisiana Mental Health System.

“I had a little apartment, but I realized I could’ve paid off a mortgage in what I was paying for rent. I thought, ‘I can live better than this.’ I decided to get something for myself.”

James found her dream home in January of 2020, but when she went to her bank to apply for a mortgage, the process was a nightmare.

“I made good money, but the bank gave me the runaround,” James said. “I knew I was credit-worthy. I knew I could afford the payments. And I knew other people getting mortgages who weren’t having the same terrible experience I was having. I kept asking, ‘Why is no one giving me this loan?’”

Despite the 1968 passage of the Fair Housing Act, Americans of color continue to experience housing inequalities. Black applicants are rejected by mortgage lenders at higher rates than whites. Black homeowners who do receive financing are more likely to pay higher interest rates and take on more debt to purchase homes with less value, making it difficult to build wealth.

HOPE extends the opportunity for home ownership to people like James, who aren’t served well by other lenders.

“I went to HOPE, and everything was different. They told me exactly what they needed from me, and there was one verification process. HOPE wanted to lend me this money.”

In July, James moved into the four-bedroom, three-bath home she calls her “little gray and white oasis.”

“On the closing date, I felt like a new woman,” James said. “This is a lot of responsibility, but I’m handling it. I’m even paying extra on the mortgage every month. Now, I’m happy watching the rabbits play in my own backyard or watching Netflix in my own living room. I even love cleaning the house because it’s mine. It is mine.”