Charnita Williams has a vision of homeownership for her family
She recently reached a major milestone by closing on her first home just a few blocks from where she raised three of her four children. The four-bedroom, two-bath house is full of light, houseplants, family photos, and possibilities. Charnita wants this home to be a multi-generational hub for the whole family.
Staying the course
The journey wasn’t easy, but the steps became clear: build credit, increase savings, and learn everything she could about the process. Charnita is an alum of The People’s Fellowship, a program from Model Cities partner Saint Paul Promise. The fellowship connected her with us and to her advisor, Eboni Williams.
“I came into this not wanting to buy a house; I didn’t want the door slammed in my face,” Charnita shared about the 16-month process, “but Eboni was my cheerleader.” Working with her advisor in 1:1 coaching and participating in our Fiscally Fit series, Charnita gained knowledge to keep pushing forward and discovered she was closer to homeownership than she’d first imagined.
Our Fiscally Fit workshops encourage participants to build financial wellness skills. Started by Camphor United Methodist Church, the program moved to Model Cities in 2018. These workshops and other services built the bridge to connect Charnita to nearly $100,000 in down payment and entry assistance.
Future goals and projects
Charnita’s got big plans for the future! Originally from Saint Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood, Charnita’s family relocated to Burnsville when she was younger.
She wanted to raise her youngest child in the area that had been home for so long. “My goal is to get some good equity in this home and to make sure I can pass this home to my children and keep the generational wealth going.”
She intends to use her home’s equity to add an addition where all of her family can live under one roof. This journey has been an inspiration to her older children, who now feel that it’s within reach for them. Charnita hopes in doing so, they can “keep the circle going.”
