NAC Blog: Part 1: In June, NAHREP Takes on City Council Meetings!

NAC

For years, all conversations around increasing minority homeownership have been focused on access to credit. How do we secure enough lending programs out there to ensure that first-time homebuyers can get adequate and affordable financing to purchase their homes? This is why the most important conversations around minority homeownership have historically happened within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (FHA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA, who regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

NAC Blog: NAHREP Virtual Capitol Hill Visits

NAC

This week the NAHREP familia took Congress by storm, meeting with a total of 53 U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators, 20 of which are member meetings. That means an actual Member of Congress joined almost half of our meetings! This is probably the most member meetings we’ve had since I joined NAHREP. This is a testament, I believe, to the work we’ve been doing at the National Advocacy Committee to increase our footprint and relationships in Congress. Your voices matter. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, we can complain all day long or we can use our voices and experiences to put pressure on the individuals who can actually do something about the problem.

NAC Blog: A Conversation with President Obama, 44th President of the United States

NAC

I’ve always loved learning about history, and I still do. It’s identifying those key moments, events, and people who created a bend in the timeline of history, altered daily life, impacted a course of events, or changed our values. As a kid, I always wondered if the people who were witnessing these historic moments in real-time even knew they were what I like to call “life-bending” moments.

NAC Blog: In Poker and the Stock Market, Blue Chips are Gold

NAC

We haven’t done any wonky terms of the week in a while. So, in light of it still being January, the month of the year when we are still gung-ho about self-improvement, I thought we would focus on our financial health and the power of stock market investments. NAHREP 10 Principle #5: INVEST AT LEAST 20% OF YOUR INCOME IN REAL ESTATE AND STOCKS because they are the best and safest ways to build wealth (investing in other businesses does not count). If you read the State of Hispanic Wealth Report, you’ll see that Latinos are driving homeownership growth and are increasingly becoming real estate investors. However, Latinos are less diversified in their assets today than they were prior to the housing crash!

NAC Blog: NAC New Year’s Resolutions

NAC

Like most of you, I spent this past weekend thinking about my New Year’s resolutions. I know I’m not alone in including “working on my health” as one of them. But my decision this year was to think about health beyond the traditional “working out and eating less processed food.” I want to think about getting healthier as moving, exploring, and just plain LIVING. I want to go on more hikes, and run and rollerblade by the ocean. I want to swap gym visits for dance parties in my garden. I want to swim more and skip around. A slight change in mindset, as all of you know, can lead to seismic changes in results. Thinking about my health as living and moving makes it much more exciting to me.

NAC Blog: NAHREP elevator pitch and immigration

NAC

Recently, some of our NAHREP leaders were asked: “How would you describe NAHREP to elected officials?” I think the most important thing to remember in answering that question, is that when you describe NAHREP to elected officials or to any community leader in general, it is important to establish what we are, what we stand for, and why we matter in 30 seconds.

NAC Blog: Half the battle is showing up

NAC

NAHREP is a business organization, and it’s also an economic mobility organization committed to building generational wealth for our familias. But most importantly, NAHREP is an organization committed to building leaders.

A NAHREP member is not only successful in their business, they are also exceptional leaders, in and out of the NAHREP familia. But, to be exceptional, we have to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. It is the only way we grow.

NAC Blog: One last push on housing supply in Reconciliation

NAC

For all of you who attended NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE, I think you’ll join me in saying, “what an incredible rush!” The energy at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego was electric. The air was buzzing with connections, familia reunions, inspiration, empowerment, and love. Don’t think I didn’t see all of you! Everyone was standing a little bit taller, hearts were a little more open, and you all were walking the halls of the hotel owning your space with the rhythm of success that Gary always speaks of. THAT is what NAHREP is all about. I don’t know about you, but I think we all needed that.

NAC Blog: The NAC gets together to talk housing policy in the Southwest Region

NAC

It was so so wonderful to see many of you in Newport Beach, CA last week for our second regional event. It was so energizing to gather and see all of your beautiful faces. One of my favorite parts of these regional events is discussing the critical policy issues impacting our industry and how we at NAHREP can be the agents for change. I’ve also been meeting up with our National Advocacy Committee (NAC) members after the event so we can work together across chapters with a common voice. Every time we do these I am reminded of how much power we can yield as an organization if we play our cards right.

NAC Blog: The Magic of NAHREP Energy

NAC

After a year and a half of working from home, I finally saw many of you in Miami this week for our Southeast Regional Event. I almost can’t believe I got to hug, break bread, dance, and simply get inspired by each other’s energy and love for our beautiful Latino community. There truly is nothing like being able to feel the power of NAHREP energy in person. I’m so pumped for everything we’re about to accomplish.