Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

Research in Action worked with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity on its Engaging Foundational Black Households project. Beginning in fall 2020, the 8-month evaluation and assessment process analyzed how well Habitat’s homeownership and financial coaching programs have served foundational Black households (defined as U.S. descendants of enslaved African people) and how it can be improved.

Partners

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is committed to building the quality of life, health, and economic prosperity of the seven-county metro region by producing, preserving, and advocating for affordable homeownership – because homes and families are the foundation of successful communities.

Advisory Council

For this project, RIA and Habitat identified 10 members to serve on the Habitat Black Homeownership Advisory Committee, including five impacted foundational Black households that participated in Habitat’s programs and five Habitat staff members.

Lavasha Smith

Community Committee
TaShonda Williamson

Community Committee
Monisha Washington

Community Committee
Hillary Thomas

Community Committee
Brittany McClendon

Community Committee
Shoreé Ingram

Twin Cities Habitat Committee
Pa Lor

Twin Cities Habitat Committee
Polina Montes de Oca

Twin Cities Habitat Committee
Jessa Anderson-Reitz

Twin Cities Habitat Committee
Allie Gaddis

Twin Cities Habitat Committee

Learn how we worked with Black homebuyers, like Tashonda Williamson, in this 10-minute video

Problem

Twin Cities Habitat was enrolling foundational Black households in its financial coaching and homeownership programs but those families were half as likely as the overall average to successfully buy a home.

Process

Research in Action conducted an equitable program evaluation that included co-designing and leading focus groups, and facilitating a 10-month advisory council of Black program participants who identified the pain points and co-developed strategies to redesign the program.

Solutions

Following these unprecedented internal conversations, RIA proposed concrete changes for the organization and the program, including, but not limited to: