Financial readiness for homeownership is a topic that’s always on my mind. So I was happy to join Zillow Group and National League of Cities for a panel last week that addressed that very subject, especially during a time when homeownership feels out of reach for so many people.  

When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017, it decimated roads, power and infrastructure. In the small community of Villalba, government workers weren't able to access the people who needed help. But volunteers and staff from Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services were already there.  

"We were the liaison," says Elizabeth Colón Rivera, Ponce's CEO. "We went to the municipality's emergency centers, offering our services and letting them know we had the resources, tools and water to help them."  

In Aurora, Illinois, Richard Carney went to The Neighbor Project (TNP) seeking assistance. His tenant couldn't pay him on time, which also put Carney in a difficult financial position.

In Aurora, Illinois, Richard Carney went to The Neighbor Project (TNP) seeking assistance. His tenant couldn't pay him on time, which also put Carney in a difficult financial position.

Lorena Arechiga-Playo was eager to join a matched savings program when she found one being offered through East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) in Oakland, California. She knew such a program, where a lender or nonprofit pledges to match a certain amount of what a client puts into savings, would increase her savings efforts.