Program Earmarks Grants For Hispanic Homebuyers (immigrants)

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/money/3261726/detail.html ^ | May 3, 2004 | thewbalchannel.com

[day]

Program Earmarks Grants For Hispanic Homebuyers BALTIMORE -- Some observers are praising efforts to encourage Hispanic immigrants to buy homes in Baltimore, but critics said the city's latest program goes too far.

Baltimore is offering 15 $3,000 grants to Hispanics who buy homes in the city.

The grants have no income limits and are also available to Hispanics who are not new arrivals to the United States.

Legal scholars aren't sure the program could pass legal scrutiny -- in part because it singles out one minority group for special treatment.

The grants are being offered under a broader program to increase homeownership in Baltimore.

The city is offering grants to the first 50 people -- regardless of race -- who close on a house after participating in trolley tours of westside neighborhoods on Saturday.

[Drango]

I could use an extra $3K...wadda 'bout me?

[dagnabbit]

I'm live down the road in DC. Will have to look up who is offering this ethnicity-based money. If true it's a gross violation of the fair housing act.

[glock rocks]

The mind boggles.

[TheSpottedOwl]

It's official, I'm changing my name to Garcia y Vega.

[longtermmemmory]

This makes about as much sense as hispanic grants to miami's hispanic population based only on family origin.

They should just stop the pretense and issue the grant to registered Democrats. After all that is the real goal.

[Ron in Acreage]

It's probably a white racist liberal democrat. This will encourage "them" to stay in the city and not buy in the "burbs" where the white liberals live and their kids go to school. We wouldn't want to encourage "them" to live where they damn well please now would we?

[sully777]

Wonder what benefits await me if I become an illegal in Mexico?

[Clemenza]

Actually, Mexicans LOVE gringos and the money and entrepreneurial talent we bring with us. I have never been hasseled by immigration down there.

[Karlos_Marx]

I think you've got to buy a house in Baltimore. $3k isn't enough to get me to visit.


This kind of wealth redistribution is dumb, but so is buying a house in Baltimore.

[valkyrieanne]

Will someone sue them, please? As I recall from reading about the early 1960s, churches in cities were being threatened by the feds because they allowed parishioners to advertise their houses "privately" to other parishioners. That was considered "discriminatory." So now we have legal discrimination, which makes it all better.

[montag813]

There is nothing humourous about this. It is disgusting and despicable.

[Mears]

I think it's illegal to advertise that a home is near a church or synagogue yet they can encourage Hispanics to buy a home.

My son and his wife are busting their a**** to get enough money together to buy their first home in the NYC area and just can't do it. How about a leg up for someone like them? No way,wrong ethnicity!!

Makes my blood boil.

[NewRomeTacitus]

This makes about as much sense as hispanic grants to miami's hispanic population based only on family origin.

Miami's a goner. There's even a bumper sticker that says "Will the last American to leave Miami please bring the flag?".

[Pelham]

That's easy: jail. They don't like illegals down in Mexico.

[sarasmom]

I am a veteran.
I am a citizen of the USA.
I am a single mother.
I am not qualified for any government "programs", since I have a long record of paying my own way in life.
I just pay for everyone else's kiss from Uncle Sugar.
I am supposed to be happy about this forced charity.
But I am forbidden to partake of my own prepaid largess.
After all, I don't really need any government services that I have paid for, since I have proven my ability to work.
I just feed the machine, and should shut up and work even harder, so that others may feed freely at the public trough without shame.

[day]

Republicans and Democrats
are not "reforms," they are amnesties, rewarding a variety of illegal
behavior http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0508satlet2-085.html

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Here's the first step to do something about this. Contact those involved and ask why they support racist programs. And, since it appears the feds are involved, contact your congressmen too.

From this:

In addition to 50 $3,000-grants available to the general public, ten grants will be reserved for Hispanic families participating in the workshop on September 6thand the trolley tour program. The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development is undertaking this expanded grant program in cooperation with the Mayor’s Hispanic Liaison Office, Live Baltimore Marketing Center, Fannie Mae, and Centro de la Comunidad. According José Ruiz, Hispanic Liaison and project coordinator, "The Road to Your Home in Baltimore / El Camino a Su Hogar en Baltimore” workshop and tour will provide participant with the main ingredients to becoming homeowners. The chance to receive a $3,000 grant will be a great incentive to participants who might otherwise be unable to make a down payment. For more information and to register contact Lorena Beltran at 410-545-6532. Special thanks to Assisi House, Home Down Payment Gift Foundation, BB&T Mortgage, Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation, Countrywide Home Loans, Live Baltimore, El Mensajero, El Tiempo Latino, and Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Here's some of the people who work at Centro de la Comunidad. President Ortega appears to have been involved in some scandal recently. Note that one of their directors is from the Dominican Republic consulate.