Each year, 7.6 million renters face the threat of eviction and nearly 1 million homeowners face the threat of foreclosure. NeighborWorks America's Keeping People Housed Initiative, with support from Wells Fargo, assists renters and homeowners facing financial hardships that put them in jeopardy of eviction or foreclosure.

More than 300 people gathered at the NeighborWorks Training Institute this month for "It Takes a Village: Achieving Black Wealth and Economic Prosperity," part of a symposia series with a focus on advancing equity for people of color.

Often when people speak of Black wealth, they talk first of homeownership, and that's certainly one path to get there, explains Sheila Anderson, senior director of NeighborWorks America's Western Region. "But that's not the end all for building wealth." To truly increase wealth and assets in Black households and communities, we must think more broadly, she says.

During the pandemic, the nation realized even more the importance of a stable home, as where we live also became the place where we accessed education, healthcare and community. But disparities loomed. 

Now, as communities and individuals work to bounce back from pandemic-related economic hardships, NeighborWorks America is hosting a symposium, "Advancing Equity for People of Color: Local Solutions for Housing Stability." The symposium will include a roundtable, panels and discussions about equitable solutions for housing stability.

Dwelling Place has taken a variety of approaches to increase the availability of affordable homes in West Michigan over the years, most recently in shared equity housing development. The NeighborWorks network organization has a new 42-unit single-family community land trust in the works, as well as a townhome development in partnership with The Habitat Company in Chicago. The organization is also working to convert 45 existing rental homes into shared equity condominiums.

Housing and community developers came together this week for the NeighborWorks Training Institute (NTI) in Los Angeles.

Housing and community developers came together this week for the NeighborWorks Training Institute (NTI) in Los Angeles.