At the National Housing Conference (NHC), we believe housing is the foundation of economic security. That principle was at the center of a recent webinar, “Celebrating 250: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Homeownership”, hosted by NHC in partnership with NeighborWorks® America, which explored how housing counseling, financial education, and cross-sector partnerships can expand access to sustainable homeownership and help more families build generational wealth.
As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the webinar reflected on homeownership as a cornerstone of the American Dream. NHC President and CEO David Dworkin opened the event with a rundown of contextual history on homeownership in America — including a nod to It’s a Wonderful Life that demonstrates how challenges faced by the classic 1946 film characters remain strikingly relevant today.
The webinar featured Charisse Walker, Realtor/Broker/Global Relations for Desiree Callender & Associates, Realtors; Carol Clarke, CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham; Katie Naftzger, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago; and Marshall Brooks, Director of Rental Assistance at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The discussion was moderated by Makinizi Hoover, Senior Director of Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Hoover framed the conversation from the perspective of the broader commerce community, connecting housing affordability directly to workforce development and economic growth. Stable housing, she noted, creates stable communities where businesses can thrive, reinforcing that housing is not simply a housing issue but also a workforce and economic development issue.
One theme quickly emerged throughout the discussion: housing counseling should not be taken for granted as an optional service—it is essential infrastructure that creates opportunities for families to achieve the American Dream of homeownership.
Walker explained that prospective homebuyers enter the process from vastly different starting points, from students establishing credit for the first time to seniors selling and purchasing homes after decades in the same residence. She stressed that education should begin long before someone is ready to purchase a home and challenged the 20 percent down payment as a persistent misconception the industry is still working to reframe.
Clarke reinforced that message alongside historical context from her community in Birmingham, Alabama. She described how segregation and redlining shaped generations of homeownership opportunities and contributed to lasting disparities in wealth. Today, many formerly owner-occupied neighborhoods have transitioned to third-party rental housing, while families continue to lose inherited property because of heirs’ property issues. She went on to explain how HUD-certified homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, homeowner repair assistance, post-purchase counseling, and neighborhood revitalization can help set families on a path toward generational wealth building.
Naftzger highlighted how the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago is also investing earlier in the homeownership process through its Housing Counseling Resource Program (HCRP). Since launching HCRP in 2022, the program has awarded more than $13 million to HUD-certified housing counseling agencies throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. Those agencies have served more than 49,000 households in Illinois alone, with nearly 9,000 families purchasing homes shortly after receiving counseling. She emphasized that housing counseling should be viewed as essential infrastructure and that strong statewide partnerships can dramatically expand access to sustainable homeownership.
Brooks showcased another innovative approach through MSHDA’s Key to Own program, which allows Housing Choice Voucher recipients to apply their vouchers toward mortgage payments instead of rent. Combined with financial education, housing counseling, and up to $20,000 in forgivable down payment assistance, the program helps low-income families transition from renting to homeownership. He offered the stories of real people in the program who were able to transition from experiencing homelessness to eventually purchasing a townhouse. The success stories demonstrate how coordinated partnerships among housing counselors, lenders, nonprofits, and public agencies can transform lives and create lasting financial independence.
The panelists discussed the importance of educating lenders about available homeownership programs, strengthening relationships among housing counselors, lenders, and real estate professionals, and increasing local participation in voucher homeownership initiatives.
Further, the group noted that persistent supply challenges require purposeful solutions to ensure that affordable homes are actually available for families considering homeownership. The problem is clear across geographies, and each industry player described their efforts to simultaneously finance housing projects, develop a strong workforce, and promote neighborhood stability through thoughtful redevelopment initiatives.
The discussion ultimately reinforced a fundamental truth: no single organization can solve America’s housing challenges alone. Expanding access to homeownership will require continued collaboration among housing counselors, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, developers, policymakers, and community leaders.
The group was united in concluding that the housing industry must continue meeting people where they are, recognizing that every family begins the homeownership journey from a different place, and every family deserves the opportunity to own a home and build financial security. Through homeownership education, innovative programs, and cross-sector partnerships, the panelists demonstrated that homeownership can become a reality for many more families. We need only to deliver the tools that help them reach their own American Dream.