Arlington County Board Member J. Walter Tejada participated in the 'Housing Forum' to explore strategies about new lending initiatives and technology to increase Hispanic homeownership, according to a Fannie Mae press release. "More than 100 lenders, real estate professionals, builders and nonprofits active in Northern Virginia's Hispanic communities today joined Fannie Mae [and] focused on housing needs and challenges facing Hispanic families."
Said Tejada, "Northern Virginia is home to one of the largest Latino populations in this country. Increasing Latino homeownership will have a very positive effect on our communities and help Hispanic families build wealth for future generations." The purpose of the Housing Forum, convened at Northern Virginia Community College's Manassas Campus, was to examine opportunities to close the homeownership gap locally.
Also participating in the forum was U.S. Representative Jim Moran who stated, "Thanks to a dramatic increase in our Hispanic population over the past several years, the fabric of our community is changing in an exciting and permanent way. Encouraging Latino homeownership will strengthen our region and help these new American families build a solid financial foundation."
Another participant was Jorge Figueredo, executive director of the Hispanic Committee of Virginia, who said, "Homeownership is an intimidating process for most people, but it is particularly challenging for Hispanic families who may face language barriers or a lack of familiarity with the mortgage lending process. Today's forum brings together housing industry professionals who are actively serving our communities to help identify the most effective way to overcome these obstacles."
