ICYMI: UnidosUS Convenes Roundtable in Orlando to Launch HOME Initiative

On October 16, 2023, UnidosUS unveiled its HOME (Home Ownership Means Equity) initiative in Orlando, Florida. The initiative is part of a national campaign introduced in June 2023 to influence systemic change and catalyze the creation of four million new Latino homeowners nationwide by 2030. As the kickoff to its new HOME initiative in Orlando, UnidosUS tapped its new local partners and the community’s changemakers across nonprofit advocacy, federal and local government, and academia to convene a rich discussion about the HOME initiative’s goals and the Latino homeownership landscape in Orlando. 

The event kicked off with welcome remarks from Suheily Martinez, Ana G. Mendez University Orlando Metro Campus Director, and Marucci Guzmán, Latino Leadership’s Executive Director. U.S. Representative Darren Soto (FL-9) then gave a keynote speech that shed light on the challenges that potential Latino homeowners face, the great potential Orlando has for Latino homeowners, and the importance of the Orlando HOME mission.  

The event then shifted to a roundtable discussion moderated by Gianncarlo Cifuentes, Vice President and Regional News Director of Univision Orlando and Tampa. The conversation focused on reducing the Latino wealth and homeownership gap and featured thoughts from Laura Arce, UnidosUS Senior Vice President of Economic Initiatives; Dr. Fernando Rivera, Professor of Sociology at the University of Central Florida; Ashon Nesbitt, CEO of Florida Housing Coalition; and Traci Blue, Director of Strategic Community Initiatives for Bright Community Trust. Members from U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost’s (FL-10) team also joined in attendance to show support for this important work.  

The HOME initiative’s Florida affiliates, Centro de Ayuda Hispana and Housing and Education Alliance, were integral to the event’s success and will be the recipients of approximately $150,000 in grants. Chosen as one of five target markets for the HOME initiative’s kick off, Orlando is home to an increasing Latino population and shows encouraging signs of Latino economic growth. Between 2010 and 2020, Florida’s Latino population accounted for over half (53.8%) of the state’s total population growth. At the same time, the number of Latino homeowners only increased by 11.2%.  

“The reality is there is a lot of money to be made in apartments and luxury homes, and not as much in starter homes. So that is one of the challenges that we have to work on on the federal, state, and local level for new houses that are below the median value…so that young people can have a chance.”          

– United States Representative Darren Soto (FL-9) 

“Increasing Latino homeownership is not only good for Latinos, it also strengthens the nation’s economy as a whole. That is why we are eager to launch the HOME initiative in Orlando and work with our Affiliates in our pursuit of creating four million new Latino homeowners nationally by 2030.”   

 – Laura Arce, UnidosUS Senior Vice President for Economic Initiatives 

In the Headlines 

• WMFE, NPR’s Central Florida affiliate profiled the event and highlighted the participants’ perspectives on the opportunities, challenges, and hard work needed to achieve the HOME initiative’s goal. You can read NPR’s coverage here. 
• Orlando’s local Spectrum News 13 channel highlighted the broad coalition represented in the discussion and UnidosUS’ efforts to systemically support homeownership for Latinos in the area. You can watch the segment here. 
• Sylvia Alvarez, Executive Director at Housing Education Alliance, and Marucci Guzmán, Executive Director of Latino Leadership, authored an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel about the role Latino homeownership has in shaping the future of Florida’s economy.  

More information on the UnidosUS HOME initiative, including recent and forthcoming market launches, visit our website here and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Additional photos from the Orlando HOME initiative launch can be found here.