La Raza gets money for foreclosure rehabs

By Arthur H. Rotstein
The Associated Press
Arizona Republic -- Phoenix
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.24.2009

In a pilot program, the charitable arm of Citigroup is giving the National Council of La Raza money to help buy foreclosed homes in Phoenix for rehabilitation and ultimate purchase by low-and moderate-income Latino families.

In all, New York-based Citi Foundation is providing $1.75 million to the NCLR, of which $235,000 will go to its Raza Development Fund. That'll allow the fund to acquire, maintain and rehab properties to sell or lease.

Raza Development Fund chief Tom Espinoza says the fund will add about $4 million and federal stimulus program money will boost the total to about $12 million to target bank-owned vacant foreclosed properties.
He's hoping at least 100 families in three hard-hit Hispanic neighborhoods in Phoenix will be able to buy homes.

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