Fighting for Home Ownership

By Robert "Rob" Kerth

Rob's plan to expand homeownership in Sacramento

With the growth that California is experiencing, the opportunity here won't last for long. First to be blocked out of the housing market is the forty-to-sixty percent of median income group. We must ensure that homeownership in Sacramento remains accessible to all income levels by assisting those who will be first frozen out by increasing home and credit prices. Neighborhoods where working families own their own homes have less crime, less blight, and higher property values. Homeowners fight for their neighborhoods. Children of homeowners stay in school longer and are more likely to succeed. The benefits to children are even more pronounced among low-income households.

Targeting this lower wage, middle class group will pose challenges, but the goal is within reach. This group is not indigent -- it includes many beginning teachers, janitors and working families. Rob called upon the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency to create a task force to make recommendations on a policy and augmentations to resources that can make this strategy feasible. That work has begun, with outreach to hear the best ideas from Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, HUD, and innovators like Nehemiah Progressive Housing, Rural Community Housing of California and the California Housing Finance Agency. Church-based groups, developers, realtors, banks and community credit institutions and all the community leaders concerned about housing and neighborhood stability should also participate. Rob has argued that Sacramento is composed of many neighborhoods; essentially small towns, each of, which should be safe, clean, comfortable, with good schools and unique, bright points of interest. Homeowners can build good neighborhoods and good neighborhoods build a good city. We should help, and Rob is leading the charge to bring homeownership levels up in Sacramento.