About AAAH
Program Highlights
2009 marked the 11th year of AAAH hosting The Annual African American Homebuyer Fair!
The fairs have attracted over 4,500 prospective homeowners who attend to meet with the 400 housing professionals who have participated throughout the years. The fairs offer free workshops throughout the day, activities for children, testimonials, and door prize drawings. The 2009 fair featured a $1,000 drawing to support a prospective buyer’s Dream of Owning a Home! The fairs continue to stimulate home buying resources within a “one-stop” environment. We also provide information on resources to help homeowners preserve their home. To date, we have tracked over 400 new homeowners as a result of our annual Fairs!
The Homebuyer Coaching Project: was implemented in 2003. It was designed to offer future homebuyers a peer-to-peer support system, while providing on-going motivation and encouragement through the home buying process. The project underwent an intense evaluation process in May of 2005. At that time new goals and objectives were identified and will be implemented by year-end. We have since trained 25 new and current Homebuyer Coaches, including three bilingual coaches. Volunteer homebuyer coaches are matched with prospective buyers and together they work on a structured Goals Plan to achieve success. To date, seventeen (17) participants have successfully reached the Dream of Owning a Home of Their Own!
AAAH Homebuyer Counseling and Homebuyer Education Classes: AAAH is non-profit, 501(c)3 organization. Our counselors are NCHEC trained and certified, and have adopted the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling. In addition to counseling we facilitate 8-hour Homebuyer Education Classes. Participants who successfully complete the Homebuyer Education Class will receive a Certificate of Completion. Since beginning the classes in July 2005, approximately 490 prospective buyers have received class certificates and are now better prepared for the home buying process!
In late 2008 AAAH was awarded a national grant through the State of Oregon to provide foreclosure prevention counseling. We have counseled over 900 individuals facing foreclosure.
Individual Development Accounts (IDA). In late 2006 AAAH became a partner of the VIDA collaborative through Casa of Oregon to provide matched savings accounts for first time homebuyers. To date, 24 prospective homebuyers have opened an IDA Account and 7 graduates.
