Empowering Native American Communities with Lending and Homeownership Opportunities

In 2019, the homeownership rate for Native Americans was 50.8% while the rate for white non-Hispanic Americans was 73.3% – a whopping 22.5 percentage point difference.

With high unemployment and poverty rates, lack of lending capabilities to originate mortgages on tribal land, and the effects of the pandemic, the homeownership journey may be difficult for Native Americans across the U.S. However, Freddie Mac is committed to providing affordable and sustainable home financing solutions and access to credit for more Native Americans.

Along with South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition and Oweesta Corporation, James Cromartie and Sandra Heidinger, Freddie Mac affordable lending managers, explored:

• Affordable homeownership challenges.
• Educational resources available to lenders, homebuyers, and homeowners.
• How lenders and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) can help more borrowers become homeowners with Freddie Mac affordable lending offerings, including Manufactured Housing, CHOICERenovation^®, CHOICEReno eXPress^®, GreenCHOICE Mortgages^®, Home Possible^® and HomeOne^® mortgages.