It's certainly helping home "ownership" that the welfare recipients, welfare-to-work recipients, etc can apply $700 a month government housing subsidies toward the mortgage payments. Remember Clinton changed the way Unemployment statistics were done -- counting any part time job at all as though it was full employment --- so you're right about "employment: at or below historical average". Otherwise we could end some of the many welfare programs -- including that new welfare program NAFTA-TAA.
It may have helped you, but it hasn't helped me.