NAC Blog: 2020 Presidential Campaign: Housing Part 1

Let’s get right to the point, the national conventions have officially started. In an effort to put our mission before politics, let’s have some real talk about what our choices for president might mean for housing and homeownership. In the midst of the Democratic National Convention, we’re releasing a summary of the Biden Housing Plan. This is the first of a two-part series. The second will be released during the Republican National Convention where we’ll summarize President Trump’s housing agenda so far.

NAC Blog: A Latino Agenda is an American Agenda

Brace yourselves: this election is going to be intense. So far this year we’ve had a global pandemic, a record-setting economic crisis, and a racial reckoning after the killing of George Floyd, creating one of the longest periods of unrest in our nation’s history. Everything is being politicized: from reopening schools to wearing a mask in public. Add to all of this a presidential campaign that is now in full swing and everything is about to get un poco loco. Now more than ever we have to be analytical of the information we consume, be reflective and be united around a common agenda.

NAC Blog: Community Reinvestment Act, an interview with Josh Silver from NCRC

¿Cómo andamos? Before we get into this week’s policy discussion, I want to take a moment to recognize a very exciting thing that happened recently. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the establishment of a National Museum of the American Latino. I had the privilege of working on a bill that explored this possibility back in 2005 with then Congressman Xavier Becerra. It has been a long time coming, and today we are one step closer that museum being a reality.

NAC Blog: Small Landlord Survey Results!

Over the last week, the NAC Regionals and I have sent text messages, emails and Facebook posts urging our NAC (that’s you!) to participate in our current Call to Action campaigns. You might have seen the call your U.S. Representative campaign about credit overlays, or the email your U.S. Senator campaign, asking them to include our priorities in the next stimulus package.

NAC Blog: It’s time for NACtion!

First of all, congratulations for being a part of the inaugural National Advocacy Committee. All of you will always be remembered as the founding members of the NAC. Today, NAHREP stands 100 chapters strong with over 40,000 members. Our task? We need to leverage those numbers and create a powerful, influential, history-making united voice around Latino economic mobility.

NAC Blog: QM Patch is getting extended and replaced

So I’ve been doing this thing lately with my cookbooks during quarantine. I make the recipe and in the margins of the cookbook I’ll jot down whether or not I liked it along with a note about what happened that day. It can be anything from something historical happening like, “the Supreme Court ruled on DACA today”, or something silly like, “today I got a facemask tan after I spent the day outside.”

NAC Blog: Happy Fourth of July!

We are officially HALFWAY through 2020! We need a party for that. Speaking of parties, I want to wish all my beautiful NAHREP familia a happy 4th of July this weekend. While we are all celebrating I implore you to be safe. I read a post on Instagram that said “just because you’re over it, doesn’t mean the virus is over.” I know we’re all frustrated, I know that businesses opening up is making life feel like it’s back to normal, and we so desperately want it to be back to normal. But the reality is, it is not.

NAC Blog: It’s time to build things!

It’s time to build things! Celebrating NAHREP familia, cultura, politics, and grassroots action Que onda mi gente?! Infrastructure and efforts to revitalize the economy go together like arroz con frijoles. Sorry, arroz con habichuelas/candules/porotos… Did I miss any? You know what I mean. Major Infrastructure projects have long been tied to efforts from the federal…

NAC Blog: Today we celebrate our Dreamers

Stories are a critical vehicle for human connection. They are powerful mostly because they make us feel something. Storytelling is an especially powerful tool in advocacy because stories have the ability to put a human emotion and a human face to laws and regulations. As the subject of DACA once again takes center stage, I thought of a young man who embodies the most beautiful aspects of the American Dream.

NAC Blog: Proposed FHFA capital rule could mean more expensive loans

Despite COVID-19, an official recession, a civil rights movement, and a presidential election, housing agencies are still issuing major rules that have the potential to have massive consequences for our businesses and our mission to advance sustainable Hispanic homeownership. These changes can easily get buried with everything else going on, but staying informed is part of our job.