ICYMI: UnidosUS Holds Roundtable Discussion in Phoenix to Kick Off Fifth HOME Initiative Market Launch

On Monday, November 6, 2023, UnidosUS unveiled its HOME (Home Ownership Means Equity) initiative in Phoenix, Arizona, marking its fifth market launch of HOME since it was unveiled in June 2023. Phoenix is one of five preliminary markets set to receive focused investment from UnidosUS to catalyze Latino homeownership. The HOME kick-off event took place at the Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) Women’s Business Center and convened a diverse group of thought leaders from the public, private, and social sectors to discuss the importance of expanding Latino homeownership in Phoenix and achieving the HOME initiative goal of creating 4 million new Latino homeowners nationwide by 2030.

Wells Fargo is the first anchor funder of the HOME initiative as part of a larger, $25 million philanthropic investment in UnidosUS community-focused programs and nonprofit Affiliate partners to advance Latino homeownership. The event drew print and TV coverage, including in the Arizona Republic, Telemundo, and Univision. 

The event kicked off with welcome remarks from Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, retired Chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges and Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute. Luis Heredia, State Director for U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), followed with a keynote speech that shed light on the challenges prospective Latino homebuyers in Phoenix face, such as low housing stock and density, and the historic, systemic barriers to access. 

The event then shifted to a roundtable discussion moderated by Catherine Reagor, Senior Real Estate Reporter at the Arizona Republic. The conversation focused on reducing the Latino wealth and homeownership gap and featured insights from Laura Arce, UnidosUS Senior Vice President of Economic Initiatives; Annie Donovan, President and CEO of the Raza Development Fund; Patricia Duarte, Executive Vice President of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC); Gina Montes, the City of Phoenix’s Deputy City Manager; and Dr. Rashad Shabazz, Associate Professor at Arizona State University.  

The HOME initiative’s Phoenix Affiliate, Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), was integral to the event’s success and was the recipient of grant funds to further its flagship and emerging housing counseling programs. From 2016 to 2018, the number of Latino homeowners in the Phoenix Metro Area increased by over 13% while the number of non-Latino homeowners increased by only 5% in that same period.  

Some noteworthy commentary from the event’s participants: 

“The opportunity to own an affordable housing unit really paved the way for my own path to go to college. Phoenix is a perfect market for this investment, and I want to thank the leadership of Unidos in making sure that their program, Unidos HOME, focuses on this community.”

– Luis Heredia, State Director of Arizona Senator Mark Kelly’s Office

“UnidosUS has long focused on housing, and particularly homeownership, for several reasons. It is the gateway to building generational wealth, but it’s so much more than that. It has a strong effect on access to college education, positive health outcomes, and workforce opportunities. Homeownership represents familia. It represents security and stability.”

– Laura Arce, Senior Vice President for Economic Initiatives at UnidosUS

“Our mission and our long-term objective is to reduce the health, wealth, and opportunity gaps in the Latino community, and homeownership and housing is a cornerstone of that. It’s not just about housing. It’s so many other things, including health. It’s economic mobility.” 

– Annie Donovan, President and CEO of the Raza Development Fund 

“The past is not behind us; the past is actually under our feet right now and we’re living it. LatinX folks are the future of the housing market and the extent to which they stay on the sidelines, removed from wealth creation, it undermines the housing network for everybody.” 

– Dr. Rashad Shabazz, Associate Professor at Arizona State University  

“As a local government official, I look at the city of Phoenix, and also my home for nearly 30 years, and 42% of the population is Latino. So, if they’re not getting the opportunities to partake in homeownership, how much of our community is left behind? How can Phoenix truly prosper as a community if they aren’t included in that dream?” 

– Gina Montes, Deputy City Manager of the City of Phoenix 

In the Headlines 

• Arizona Republic, the state’s largest newspaper, covered the event and outlined how the HOME initiative will catalyze new Latino homeownership in Phoenix and in partnership with CPLC. You can read the article here.  
• Arizona Republic Senior Real Estate and Housing Reporter and Columnist Catherine Reagor, the roundtable’s moderator, authored a column reflecting on the event and recapping some of its key themes and ideas shared. You can read her column here.  
• Phoenix’s local Telemundo channel (KTAZ-TV) highlighted the role CPLC will play in on-the-ground efforts and the importance of housing counseling in achieving equity. You can watch the segment here.
• Phoenix’s local Univision channel (KTVW-TV) explored, in addition to the details of the HOME initiative and partnership with CPLC, some of the bottlenecks to accessible homeownership that are specific to Phoenix. You can watch the segment here. 
• Laura Arce, UnidosUS Senior VP of Economic Initiatives, bylined an op-ed for the Arizona Republic. The piece highlights the real-life homeownership story of CPLC Executive Vice President Patricia Duarte and calls attention to the importance of dismantling homeownership barriers to ensure a bright economic future for Latinos. You can read the full op-ed here.  

More information on the UnidosUS HOME initiative, including the previous market launches, can be found on our website here. You can follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Additional photos from the Phoenix HOME initiative launch can be found HERE.