The Welcome Home Podcast

We dig into the Center's advocacy work at the State Capitol this session. Greta Gaetz, Government Affairs Director for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, and Roxanne Young Kimball, Center President join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the GroundBreak Coalition here in the Twin Cities to learn more about this important initiative and discuss our work together in the area of homeownership. Erin Gavin, Acting Project Director for the GroundBreak Coalition and Marcus Owens, Principal Consultant at Nawe Partners join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with a homeownership advisor and an insurance rep to discuss the importance of life insurance, wills and trusts in building and ensuring your legacy. Henry Rucker, Associate Director of Homeownership and Financial Coaching at Project for Pride in Living (PPL), and Ed Beavers, District Manager for Country Financial join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with affordable homeownership staff leaders from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to explore their work and how it intersects with the work of the Homeownership Center. Dean Porter-Nelson, Housing Finance Supervisor with the City of St. Paul, and Cherie Shoquist, Residential and Real Estate Development Manager with the City of Minneapolis join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We dig into the two First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Programs that came online in 2024. Brooke Walker, Strategic Initiatives Director at the Minnesota Homeownership Center, and Heidi Welch, Business Relations Team Manager at Minnesota Housing join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

New Center president Roxanne Young Kimball joins host Bill Gray for a review of the Center's 2023 Annual Impact Report and a discussion around what attracted her to the Center's top job.

Our friend Gracie Mendez takes over the mic to host a panel discussion on achieving homeownership in Spanish! Alma Sanchez, Homeownership Advisor with Neighborhood Development Alliance (NeDA), Joannette Cintrón, VP with Old National Bank and Guille Garza, Realtor® with KW Integrity join Gracie for the conversation.

We take the opportunity to wish our departing Center President Julie Gugin well in her future endeavors. Robyn Bipes-Timm, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and the Center's Immediate Past Board Chair, and Brian Crosby, Community Accountability Officer VP for Associated Bank join Julie and host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with three of our award-winning network homeownership advisors in honor of June Homeownership Month! LaShelle Smith with PRG, Patricia Aguilar with CAPI USA and Jackie Kemp with One Roof Community Housing join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We dig into the availability and use of Non-Interest-Bearing Financing tools in the home purchase arena. Johanna Osman, executive director of Sakan Community Resource, and Beth Hyser, chief program officer at NeighborWorks Home Partners join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We check in with two of the folks leading the charge at the Minnesota State Capital on behalf of homeownership this legislative session. Jeff Washburne, lead organizer with the statewide Homeownership Minnesota (HOM) Coalition, and Julie Gugin, president of the Minnesota Homeownership Center join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers' Twin Cities Chapter to talk about the national-level 2023 State of Housing in Black America report. Tiffany Phillips, Community Development Loan Officer with Bell Bank, and Denise Mazone, Broker/Owner with Mazone Realty Group join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance's new Twin Cities Chapter to talk about their organization and their work in the community. Sarah Rostance with Edina Realty and Janae Lyon with Angie Sherer Team join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with a Realtor®, a lender and a Homeownership Advisor to talk about achieving homeownership for yourself.

We sit down with representatives from the Asian Real Estate Association of America's Twin Cities Chapter to talk about their work in the community. Ricky Cheath with Movement Mortgage and Tasha Soundara with Sound Home Group join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we take a look at the Homeownership Center's 2022 Annual Impact Report. Center president Julie Gugin and Associated Bank Community Accountability VP Brian Crosby join host Bill Gray for this discussion.

We sit down with Build Wealth Minnesota to talk about their work in the community and the recently launched 9,000 Equities partnership. Build Wealth Executive Director David McGee and Senior Program Director Jeffery Robinson join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the Center, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and Minnesota Realtors® to discuss the 2023 state legislative session, and the $100 million First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Fund signed into law.

We sit down with three of our Homeownership Advisors to discuss their work with aspiring homebuyers.

We analyze the stats in the 2022 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, published by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we discuss Special Purpose Credit Programs (SPCPs) and the Center's work with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to create such a program for Foundational Black Americans.

In this episode of the Welcome Home podcast, we look at the two main alternative homeownership models, community land trusts and housing cooperatives. AsaleSol Young, Executive Director of Urban Homeworks, and Osborne Strickland, a broker at City of Lakes Community Realty join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

In this episode of the Welcome Home podcast, we dig into the 2022 State of Housing in Black America report, published by the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). Richelle Taylor, NAREB Twin Cities Chapter Board Chair and Team Lead for Simply Sold Realty Group, and Cameron Perket, Mortgage Retail Branch Manager for U.S. Bank join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

In this episode of the Welcome Home podcast, we explore two important alternatives to the traditional mortgage – Non-Interest-Bearing Financing for those looking to accommodate religious restrictions on the payment of interest, and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) mortgages for those who do not have a U.S. social security number. Mahamud Gorod, an account executive with Guidance Residential, and Fernando Urbina, a mortgage loans VP with Sunrise Banks join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we take a look at the Homeownership Center's 2021 Annual Impact Report. We also discuss ongoing policy change efforts and review the Center's state legislative proposal for a First Generation Homebuyers Down Payment Assistance Fund. Center president Julie Gugin and strategic initiatives director Brooke Walker join host Bill Gray for this discussion.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we dive into the 2022-2023 State of Asia America Report produced by the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). Host Bill Gray is joined by AREAA Twin Cities Chapter president Nalee Vue and Real Estate Broker Long Doan for this discussion.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we sit down with Minnesota Housing's new Assistant Commissioner for Single Family Housing, Kayla Schuchman.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we speak with three homeownership advisors based in the Twin Cities: Linda White with Model Cities; Graciela Mendez with Neighborhood Development Alliance (NeDA); and Nick Yang with NeighborWorks Home Partners.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we dive into the 2021 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report produced by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP). Host Bill Gray is joined by NAHREP Twin Cities Chapter president Ed Luna and Realtor(r) Guille Garza for this discussion.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we take a look at the Homeownership Opportunity Alliance - a coalition of engaged industry leaders who are actively dedicated to closing Minnesota's homeownership gap. Host Bill Gray is joined by guests Trent Bowman, CRA Business Development VP with MidWestOne Bank, and Portia Jackson, Community Development Specialist with Ramsey County.

In this inaugural episode of the Minnesota Homeownership Center's Welcome Home Podcast, host Bill Gray sits down with Center president Julie Gugin, Center Board vice chair Rose Teng and Homeownership Advisor Henry Rucker to explore what we do, how we do it and why it's so important.