Commissioner Angela Powell and Norbert Burrows host first-time homebuyer training that helped seven people close

Commissioner Angela Powell and Norbert Burrows, founder of I Am the Village Foundation, co-hosted a first-time homebuyer training session that organizers said equips prospective buyers with practical steps for mortgage approval and closing. The session, supported by Huntington Bank and Gesher Human Services, focused on paperwork, pre-approval and next steps toward buying a home.

A program participant described how the training helped her navigate the process. The participant said, "What I learned in this program is that without this program and what they teach you, it took me 47 days from start to finish." She added that "a week later, I got my pre approval" and that "she closed on the house yesterday," thanking instructors for guiding her through paperwork she said made her head spin because she works as a contractor.

The presenter noted Commissioner Powell has run these trainings for two years and said the most recent class celebrated seven new homeowners. Organizers urged interested residents to check the session's video description for details on attending upcoming classes.

The session highlighted partnerships between government, nonprofit and private-sector organizations that organizers said aim to lower barriers to homeownership by helping participants complete documentation and complete lender requirements more quickly. No formal votes or policy actions were taken at the session.