A three-day event kicked off over the weekend in one of Charlotte’s designated low-income Corridors of Opportunity, aiming to help residents reach their dream of homeownership.
It's the second time that the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America's “Achieve the Dream” session has been held in Charlotte.
Hundreds of people attended the workshops on Albemarle Road. Housing counselors reviewed attendees' finances to help them get one step closer to homeownership.
Bruce Marks, CEO of NACA, the nonprofit behind the event, said part of the goal is to help people play a role in improving their neighborhood through homeownership.
“It shouldn’t be that a neighborhood improves because it’s getting gentrified," Marks said. "It should be that a neighborhood improves because existing people in the neighborhood, renters, are able to purchase a home and own a stake in their neighborhood.”
NACA, which focuses on helping low-income homebuyers, says it doesn’t consider credit scores, and aims to help people use Section 8 housing vouchers toward their mortgage payments.
Tiffany Woodberry, a mother of four who attended the event, said there are particular challenges that make the journey to homeownership difficult.
"The income — because that’s what it has been for me — that barrier of not making enough to afford the home that you want," said Woodberry. "And then, I just don’t want to live anywhere. Being a single parent and having to take care of your children — even though they're older — kind of put me in a late stage of getting a career going. And, I guess, bringing in more income.”
Just over half of households in Mecklenburg County — 55.9% — in Mecklenburg County own their home.
