Economy

State Housing Finance Agencies Assist Homebuyers, Renters

WASHINGTON INFORMER — Every state in the U.S., as well as in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a Housing Finance Agency (HFA) that provides low- and moderate-income individuals and families with the opportunity to find a home or apartment that meets their budget and quality-of-life needs.

Published

7 years ago

June 2, 2019

Christopher G. Cox NNPA Newswire Contributor

By Christopher G. Cox

Every state in the U.S., as well as in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a Housing Finance Agency (HFA) that provides low- and moderate-income individuals and families with the opportunity to find a home or apartment that meets their budget and quality-of-life needs.

According to Stockton Williams, executive director of the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), in 2017 alone, state HFAs provided $28 billion to finance affordable homeownership for more than 152,000 households, 26 percent of which were minority-headed households.

The NCSHA was created by the state agencies more than 40 years ago, Williams said, to help share best practices.

“HFAs are constantly learning from each other,” Williams adds, “not only sharing best practices, but solving emerging challenges on a collaborative basis. NCSHA facilitates these exchanges and augments them with additional analysis and support.”

Some of the state HFA practices that NCSHA helps to promote are careful underwriting of borrowers, close oversight of lenders, proactive loan servicing and counseling assistance to borrowers who need it, Williams noted.

“A 2018 study found that state HFA loans were much less likely to experience defaults or foreclosures than loans from other sources to similar borrowers,” he said. “According to the study, not only are HFAs more likely to require full documentation and careful underwriting, they also serve as a third-party monitor on lenders originating loans through a state program, creating an additional incentive for careful screening by the lender.”

Like other state housing finance agencies, the North Carolina HFA (NCFHA), which began operating in 1973, serves the broad mandate of providing affordable housing opportunities for state residents whose needs are not being met by the market, explains Connie Helmlinger, manager of public relations and marketing for the NCHFA.

The work of her agency, Helmlinger notes, is divided into two main areas: providing assistance with home ownership and with rental housing.

“We have helped more than 115,000 individuals and families purchase homes,” she said. “We do that by offering mortgages with competitive rates and down payment assistance for buyers.”

The NCHFA offers a variety of assistance programs that seek to help low- and moderate-income homebuyers in such categories as first-time buyers, military veterans, senior citizens and people with disabilities. Detailed information about such programs as NC Home Advantage Mortgage, NC Home Advantage Tax Credit and NC IST Home Advantage, and how potential buyers can qualify for them, can be found at www.ncfha.com

Most of NCFHA’s work is done in association with partners, including local governments, nonprofit organizations and private developers. “One of our self-help programs,” Helmlinger says, “is working with Habitat for Humanity. They take the money we provide and roll that into their own money to provide better mortgages for people who buy their homes.”

Helmlinger notes that the NCHFA does not work directly with buyers — except for being involved in final approvals and underwriting — but works directly with lenders after buyers have contacted a loan officer about applying for one of their assistance programs.

“The money is coming from us, but it’s the lender that is managing the whole process,” Helmlinger said.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Christopher G. Cox NNPA Newswire Contributor

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Bay Area

Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Bay Area

How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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Activism

California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.