HUD Announces New Programs in Honor of National Homeownership Month

As declared by President Biden’s Presidential Proclamation, the month of June is commemorated as National Homeownership Month. To mark the month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is launching “Let’s Make Home the Goal,” a nationwide, multi-year campaign to generate awareness of the availability and benefits of pre-purchase housing counseling provided by HUD-certified housing counselors.

Let’s Make Home the Goal was designed to reach communities of color that have historically faced more difficulties with the homebuying process due to systemic barriers. Through advertising, events, and public service announcements, “Let’s Make Home the Goal” will reach nearly one million prospective homebuyers in 13 states, with plans to expand to other markets in the future.

In addition, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge is hosting the House Party 2.0 on June 10, 2023 on the National Mall from 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. The House Party is an in-person event to amplify HUD’s commitment to helping more Americans realize their dream of homeownership. Individuals and families can join Secretary Fudge for this free event featuring live music, food and information about housing counseling, financial education, down payment assistance and FHA mortgage loans to assist aspiring homeowners. This event is a part of the Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall taking place June 9-11, 2023.

“I want everyone in this country who desires to own a home of their own to have access to the resources and tools they need. This National Homeownership Month, we will reflect on the importance of homeownership as a tool for wealth-building and stability for American families,” said HUD Secretary Fudge. “HUD is proud to launch our housing counseling campaign ‘Make Home the Goal.’ Housing counseling is one of the ways we can bridge the knowledge gap that keeps many well qualified households from seeking homeownership. I am thrilled to personally invite communities to our second House Party, this time on the National Mall, to meet with housing counselors and get important information about the home buying and ownership process.”

HUD is strengthening its commitment to homeownership by increasing opportunities and removing barriers for first-time, low- and moderate-income homebuyers and communities of color. These actions will help individuals and families attain the stability and wealth-building potential of homeownership.

“The Office of Housing Counseling is excited to launch ‘Let’s Make Home the Goal’ and connect buyers with the housing counseling services that can help to equip them with the confidence and knowledge necessary to become successful homeowners,” said Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. “When potential buyers have a firm financial foundation and access to unbiased homebuyer education from our network of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, they are better prepared to make decisions that can change the course of their family’s opportunities for generations to come.”

In marking the month of June as “National Homeownership Month,” President Biden cited a number of measures his Administration has enacted to promote homeownership, and protect homeowners over his term.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, when mortgage payments became harder to make, and rents rose 26% nationally, my Administration took action to ensure people could stay in their homes,” added President Biden. “We extended foreclosure moratoriums for millions of households, provided financial relief for homeowners who had fallen behind on their mortgage payments, delivered nearly 11 million emergency rental assistance payments, developed the first-ever national infrastructure to stop eviction, and provided 70,000 emergency housing vouchers. To build on this progress, we recently awarded more than 19,000 new Housing Choice Vouchers—the largest expansion of flexible rental assistance in 20 years.”