Owning a Home: New Opportunities and Challenges for Low-Income Women

ABSTRACT

In recent years, policy initiatives at the federal, state and local levels have fostered innovative programs to promote and support low-to-moderate income individuals and families in achieving homeownership. However, the sustainability of homeownership among this group is an area of concern as default and foreclosure rates have increased and are expected to grow. This exploratory study examined the housing experience of 11 female, first-time low-to-moderate income homeowners who completed a homebuyer education program. Their experiences suggest that sustaining homeownership, while problematic, provides immeasurable positive gains within themselves and for their families. Strategies of how they cope with the challenges inherent in maintaining this asset are discussed. Implications for supporting these tenuous housing situations are offered.

KEYWORDS:

• Homeownership
• financial literacy
• women
• housing
• foreclosure
• low-income

The authors would like to thank Jennifer Chery, MSW for her assistance with data collection.