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Fair housing clinic in St. Bernard offers help, hope to those looking to own a home

NEW ORLEANS -- For many areas of New Orleans, owning a home can be cheaper than renting.

On Saturday, local homebuyers were able to learn more during a fair housing clinic in St. Bernard Parish.

Sherri Lawrence attended the free clinic, and she even took the first steps towards owning her own home.

"My family has grown," Lawrence said. "I have two boys now, so I need a little extra space."

Real estate agents, mortgage companies and counseling groups were on hand with to help her with a game plan.

"They told me exactly what you need to do to improve your credit score, where to go to get the best opportunities, and who will have the best loan for you based upon your credit score and your income," Lawrence said.

Kenneth Barnes from K & B Enterprises said bad credit is often a reason people don't qualify for a loan. Barnes said he can help people restore or rebuild their credit.

"Generally, a lack of financial education is why people fall into the trap," Barnes said. "Not knowing how credit works, not knowing how to build it, establish it and protect it when it comes to identity theft."

Other agencies at the housing clinic were providing information on other grants, soft-second mortgages and other federal programs available in the area.

Paula Pete works with Family Resources of New Orleans, a HUD-certified counseling agent that has built over 100 houses in St. Bernard, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes.

"It's for very low-income families that want to become homeowners," Pete said. "You don't have to be a first-time homebuyer. It's really for people who want to build their own homes in rural communities."

"We're a one-stop shop. So when people come to visit us, they are with us until they buy a house," Pete said.

Louis Schneider who has worked with the Neighborhood Housing Services for decades said it is a non-profit that helps navigate the often difficult process of renovating.

"We come out, inspect the house, do a scope of work and also manage the construction as it goes," Schneider said. "And we've been doing it in a certain way where people don't get ripped off."

For Sherri Lawrence, owning a home has been a lifetime goal.

"I want to be a happy homeowner, have something of my own that we can pass down to our kids that we can pass down to our family," Lawrence said.

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