Nehemiah: Making the American Dream possible for first-time homeowners

From CBS News: The Nehemiah project began in the 1980s building privately-owned homes on land that nobody wanted in East Brooklyn and sold the homes at prices that were affordable to working class families. Church and community organizers mobilized local politicians to sell the land for almost nothing and provide subsidies for community members and raise money that could be used for loans. The program has built 6,500 homes and created an estimated $1.5 billion of wealth for first time Black and Latino homeowners.

Click here to read the original story.

Issue Areas:

Housing, Land Use, Sustainable Development

Impact Areas:

Distributed Trust and Power, Equity

Actors:

BIPOC Communities, Lending, Banking, and Financial Institutions

Communities Served:

BIPOC Communities, Communities Experiencing Economic Hardship

Strategies:

Collective Action, Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals, Redefining Land / Land Ownership

Success Factors:

Building Distribution Systems, Eliminating Barriers, Embracing the Power of Relationships, Leveling the Playing Field, Meeting People Where They Are At, Overcoming the Big Challenges

Geographic Region:

North America

Countries:

United Kingdom

Date:

September 11, 2022

More Resources:

Conversation with Lindsay Morgan Tracy and Lori Pfingst

Lindsay Morgan Tracy is the Innovator-in-Chief for the Department of Social & Health Services in Washington State working on the Blueprint for an Equitable Future: The 10-Year Plan to Dismantle Poverty in Washington State. She is a staunch advocate of...

Conversation with Erica Smiley

Erica Smiley is the executive director of Jobs With Justice. A long-time organizer and movement leader, Smiley has been spearheading strategic organizing and policy interventions for Jobs With Justice for nearly 15 years. Prior to taking up her current position...

Microfinance helps Indian women borrow – with dignity

From Annie Banerji / Christian Science Monitor: Microfinance institutions in India are providing low-cost loans to women in remote areas who typically only have access to loan sharks. The women are using the money to break poverty cycles and start their...

Conversation with Gopal Patel

Gopal Patel is the co-founder and director of Bhumi Global, a non-profit mobilizing Hindu communities worldwide for environmental action. Over the last decade, he has advised global interfaith and environmental initiatives, working to include faith voices in local and international...

Conversation with Ignacio Saiz

Ignacio Saiz is an independent consultant and advisor on issues of human rights and economic justice. He previously served as Executive Director of the Center for Economic and Social Rights, an international NGO that works for a rights-based economy, and...

4-day workweek pilot in South Africa – the results are in, with some surprises

From Business Tech: 28 South African businesses and one Botswanan business participated in a 4-day week pilot in 2023. The results showed huge benefits for both employees and employers. Read the original story here. Find more wellbeing employee initiatives.

...