24695: Hermantin (News) Haitian housing group honored

[sak-pase@bimini.ws]

leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Thu, Apr. 07, 2005
LITTLE HAITI
Haitian housing group honored
The Little Haiti Housing Association has received a national award for its 
efforts in increasing homeownership among the city's Haitian population.
BY JASON JEFFERS
jjeffers@herald.com

The Little Haiti Housing Association, a nonprofit community development 
group that helps residents of the Little Haiti community purchase their own 
homes, has been recognized by a national organization for its efforts to 
increase minority homeownership.

The association was recently announced as the winner of the Education award 
from the HOPE Awards, an annual program put together by the Hope Partners, a 
coalition of various real estate organization that promote minority 
homeownership, as well as the National Association of Realtors.

''It's a very significant award and an incredible validation of all the work 
we've been doing over the years,'' said Samuel Diller, executive director of 
the Little Haiti Housing Association.

The association was founded in 1987 with the mission of building and 
refurbishing homes for residents of Miami's financially strapped and 
oft-neglected Little Haiti neighborhood. Since then, the association has 
built over 60 homes for the area's residents. It also provides a community 
center and computer facility for the area's children.

The association was granted the award specifically for its Home Buyer 
Training Program, a four-week course that provides counseling to many 
first-generation Haitian immigrants who are interested in purchasing their 
first home.

''There are so many people who speak little or no English and have no 
history of dealing with established financial institutions,'' Diller said. 
``This program guides them through the entire process, educating them about 
their credit and right through the mortgage process.''

So far, the program has assisted 140 families to become homeowners. With the 
$10,000 prize, the association plans to develop the program further, 
incorporating audio-visual aids in both English and Creole.

The association will be presented the award on May 10 during a symposium and 
gala dinner at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

''It's an evolving program and we'd like to see more families involved in 
it,'' Diller said. ``We really do appreciate this award. It's very valuable 
to us.''

For information on the association and its programs, call 305-759-2542.