CHICO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tri Counties Bank announced today, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), a $200,000 donation to promote Black homeownership as part of the FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program.
The recently launched program is a key component of Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco’s commitment to advancing racial equity in homeownership and narrowing the Black homeownership and wealth gaps. Through this new program, FHLBank San Francisco’s member financial institutions can request dollar-for-dollar matching grants, up to a total matching amount of $125,000, for their donations to approved housing counseling agencies.
“We are fortunate to have FHLBank San Francisco as a partner in our efforts to increase Black homeownership across our footprint,” said Rick Smith, President & CEO of Tri Counties Bank. “There is no better time to kick off this program than in June, both for National Homeownership Month and in appreciation of Juneteenth.”
FHLBank San Francisco matched Tri Counties Bank’s $100,000 donation for a total of $200,000, which will be distributed in $50,000 grants to four Housing Counseling Agencies (HCAs) throughout Tri Counties Bank’s footprint: Greater Sacramento Urban League, Self Help Enterprises, Community Housing Development Corporation, and San Francisco Housing Development Corporation.
“Pre- and post-homeownership counseling can be the key to sustainable homeownership, and we are thrilled that Tri Counties Bank is using our new Empowering Black Homeownership program to support four different HCAs,” said Marietta Núñez, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHLBank San Francisco. “The Bank’s match of Tri Counties Bank’s donations to these HCAs will magnify their impact and enable the agencies to serve more aspiring and at-risk homeowners in communities where Tri Counties Bank does business.”
Greater Sacramento Urban League
Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) has been aiding youths and adults from underrepresented communities throughout Sacramento County for over 50 years, providing comprehensive housing counseling, education, job training and placement opportunities to achieve economic self-reliance.
The organization plans to use their grant from Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco to assist with their Housing Counseling Program, which is HUD approved and offered to the public at no cost. The program offers counseling in areas such as homelessness, rental assistance, first-time home buyer, credit and budgeting, and refinancing.
“Sacramento County has the lowest Black home ownership rate in California. Far too many have lost hope in the American dream of home ownership,” said Dwayne Crenshaw, J.D., President and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. “With this critical grant funding, the Greater Sacramento Urban League will strive to restore hope to families we reach by offering them personalized financial planning services to help get their families on a realistic path to actually achieving the dream.”
Self Help Enterprises
Self-Help Enterprises (SHE), located in Visalia, California, was founded in 1965 with the mission to work together with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. SHE serves eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tulare County. Although this area is known as a top agricultural production region, the San Joaquin Valley has among the highest poverty rates in the State of California.
The organization will use the grant to link opportunities to enhance and create outreach campaigns in Black communities to promote the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. Participants will be served with customized homeownership resources, educational, and home counseling needs. SHE will implement alliances and collaboration strategies with partners to pursue shared goals to raise and strengthen Black homeownership.
"We are grateful for Tri Counties Bank's Black Homeownership Grant as it will enable us to continue to provide accessible housing opportunities for the underserved members of our community,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of SHE. “This grant will help create a direct path toward sustainable homeownership for the Valley's Black families and will empower them to build wealth for generations to come."
Community Housing Development Corporation
Community Housing Development Corporation, located in Richmond, California, provides a broad range of affordable housing opportunities and services throughout the Bay Area to enable low/moderate income residents to gain better housing and financial stability.
The organization plans to use their grant to fund the Black Wealth Initiative (BWI), which helps to close the Black wealth gap through encouraging and helping black people in the Bay Area to become homeowners. The BWI assists with both homebuying education and down payment and/or closing costs. While the program is still in its infancy, the organization has already assisted one homeowner with closing the purchase of a home and three more are already on the way towards homeownership.
“The Black Wealth Initiative (BWI) focuses on one of the leading causes of the black wealth gap, and that is the disparate number of black homeowners compared to white homeowners,” said Don Gilmore, Executive Director of the Community Housing Development Corporation. “CHDC and Tri Counties Bank hope to close that gap by helping more black families and individuals to purchase homes in the Bay Area, which will also help to build generational wealth for years to come.”
San Francisco Housing Development Corporation
San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC) was founded in 1988 with the mission to foster financial stability through the development of affordable housing, the facilitation of homeownership and the economic empowerment and revitalization of San Francisco’s communities of color.
The Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant will support SFHDC’s Housing Counseling & Financial Empowerment Program, which provides renters, aspiring homebuyers and existing homeowners with the skills, knowledge and information they need to obtain, stabilize and maintain affordable housing, whether it’s a rental or home purchase. The program supports 1,500 clients a year, with over 80% of them individuals of color.
"Since our founding in 1988, SFHDC has focused on empowering Black San Franciscans to achieve homeownership, and providing them with other economic stability and mobility strategies to create wealth,” said David Sobel, SFHDC's Chief Executive Officer. “The generous support of FHLBank and Tri Counties Bank will enable us to continue this urgently needed work amidst soaring housing prices, and address racial disparities within the arena of both home purchase and homeownership retention.”
About Tri Counties Bank
Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of over $10 billion and more than 45 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® for communities throughout California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services, plus an extensive branch network, more than 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced online and mobile banking. Visit TriCountiesBank.com to learn more. Member FDIC.
About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada strengthen communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions — promote homeownership, expand access to quality housing and boost economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable and resilient.
