Vidya Ramakrishnan has worked in real estate asset management for 11 years — the last five of those years in nonprofit work at New Jersey's HANDS, Inc. As her organization considered transitioning from multifamily projects to single-family homes and other projects, she sought peer and technical support.

Vidya Ramakrishnan has worked in real estate asset management for 11 years — the last five of those years in nonprofit work at New Jersey's HANDS, Inc. As her organization considered transitioning from multifamily projects to single-family homes and other projects, she sought peer and technical support.

Staff at NeighborWorks Alaska have been buoyed by the results of the organization's supportive housing effort: More than 800 people, once experiencing homelessness, are now safely housed. Jim MacKenzie, executive director of the NeighborWorks nonprofit, wants to share the organization's strategy with other housing and community development organizations.  

Staff at NeighborWorks Alaska have been buoyed by the results of the organization's supportive housing effort: More than 800 people, once experiencing homelessness, are now safely housed. Jim MacKenzie, executive director of the NeighborWorks nonprofit, wants to share the organization's strategy with other housing and community development organizations.  

The path to affordable homeownership is longer than it used to be. Interest rates are higher. Coming up with a down payment is harder. And there's less affordable housing stock available, especially for low- and moderate-income residents looking for a safe place to live, according to NeighborWorks America's National Homeownership Programs & Lending staff.  

The path to affordable homeownership is longer than it used to be. Interest rates are higher. Coming up with a down payment is harder. And there's less affordable housing stock available, especially for low- and moderate-income residents looking for a safe place to live, according to NeighborWorks America's National Homeownership Programs & Lending staff.  

Part of NeighborWorks America's mission is ensuring that people can be safely and securely housed. But inequities have made barriers to housing — and to homeownership — especially difficult to surmount for people of color. That's why in 2022 NeighborWorks introduced a new grant, "Accelerating Homeownership for People of Color," with the help of Fifth Third Bank. 

Part of NeighborWorks America's mission is ensuring that people can be safely and securely housed. But inequities have made barriers to housing — and to homeownership — especially difficult to surmount for people of color. That's why in 2022 NeighborWorks introduced a new grant, "Accelerating Homeownership for People of Color," with the help of Fifth Third Bank. 

More than 300 people gathered at the NeighborWorks Training Institute this month for "It Takes a Village: Achieving Black Wealth and Economic Prosperity," part of a symposia series with a focus on advancing equity for people of color.

Often when people speak of Black wealth, they talk first of homeownership, and that's certainly one path to get there, explains Sheila Anderson, senior director of NeighborWorks America's Western Region. "But that's not the end all for building wealth." To truly increase wealth and assets in Black households and communities, we must think more broadly, she says.