The Real Deal
New award to promote equality in ownership
By Jean Newton
The HOPE Awards (Home Ownership Participation for Everyone), a new real estate industry awards program, is designed to help raise public awareness about the need to create equality in homeownership.
Minorities and immigrants, the fastest growing homebuying segment in the United States, are making a significant impact in today's real estate market. "Realtors recognize that there exists a gap between the homeownership rates of whites and minorities. This new program will recognize up to seven organizations and individuals who are making outstanding contributions to the cause of increasing minority homeownership," said Silicon Valley Association of Realtors President Jeff Barnett.
The association encourages organizations and individuals who make outstanding contributions to the cause of increasing minority homeownership to apply for a HOPE Award. In addition, the association urges members of the community to nominate any individuals or organizations that are involved in any activity that strives to increase minority homeownership.
"Today more American families own their own homes than ever in history, but not all Americans participate equally in homeownership. This divide in the American Dream suggests that cultural and ethnic barriers to homeownership remain alive in our society, 33 years after passage of the Fair Housing Act. By encouraging participation in homeownership by everyone, we can begin to close this gap," said Barnett. "Across America, individuals and organizations are helping to lower the barriers to minorities and change the color of homeownership."
Categories for the awards include homeownership education, finance, project of the year, real estate brokerage, public policy, media coverage and leadership.
Awards will be determined by a panel of distinguished judges based on the impact of the nominee's work on promoting minority homeownership, use of innovative ideas, acceptance by the minority community, focus on minority homeownership and focus on affordability. Each of the winners of the HOPE Awards will receive a $10,000 prize and a trophy at a gala dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 10. Winners will also discuss their work and share their experiences with housing policy makers at a symposium at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Applications for nominations are due by July 2.
The partnership of real estate associations sponsoring the HOPE Awards includes the California Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Chinese American Real Estate Professionals Association of Southern California, the Chinese Real Estate Association of America, the Korean Real Estate Brokers of Southern California, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and the National Association of Realtors.
Co-sponsoring organizations are the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Home Builders, REALTOR.com, Century-21, Coldwell Banker, ERA Real Estate, National Council of La Raza, and Habitat for Humanity International.
For further information about the HOPE Awards and for application forms and instructions, contact Madeline Diehl at 800/445-0784 or visit the HOPE Awards website at www.hopeawards.org.
Information provided in this column is presented by the Realtor members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. Send questions on any topic to: Real Deal, c/o SILVAR, 345 San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022; call 650-949-9115; or email to ppompei@siliconvalley-realtors.org.
|
Saratoga, California Since 1955
