04/21/2021
While owning a home may be relatively common in some segments of society, not all populations are familiar with the concept, explained Maria Garciaz, CEO of NeighborWorks Salt Lake — a nonprofit organization helping to create homeownership opportunities for low income and minority communities.
“Our focus is really about education and helping families understand how important homeownership is in building their wealth that will be a legacy for families, and the responsibility of having a mortgage,” she said.
In Utah, the gap for the Black community remains significant when it comes to overall homeownership rates — mirroring the rest of the nation. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, African American homebuyers joined a rush of Utahns looking for their piece of the American dream.