Ms. Libby Turner, Administrative Assistant at Model Cities, has 40 years of social services, nonprofit, and admin experience—including housing advocacy and shelter support. And recently, she went through the process of purchasing a home with support from Model Cities, making use of homebuyer education and pre-purchase counseling from her colleagues on the Economic Services team.
Ms. Libby Turner, Administrative Assistant at Model Cities, has 40 years of social services, nonprofit, and admin experience—including housing advocacy and shelter support. And recently, she went through the process of purchasing a home through Model Cities, making use of homebuyer education and pre-purchase counseling from her colleagues on the economic services team.
“I started working at Model Cities in August 2023. In my process of becoming an employee here, I found out about how strong the housing people were,” she said. “I knew Linda White because I worked with her in other places. She was my point person. Then I met Jeff and Alex, and they are outstanding.”
Ms. Libby took a Model Cities’ HomeStretch workshop where prospective homebuyers earn their First Time Homebuyers certificate, which many down-payment and entry-cost assistance programs require. Participants learn about the homebuying process, hear from experts in the field, and bring questions to support their future success!
After completing the 1-day workshop, she teamed up with Economic Services Manager Jeff Wills, Lead Housing Counselor Ms. Linda White, and Financial Wellness Specialist Alex Westberg, along with realtor Nene Matey-Keke, to continue her homebuying journey.
Ms. Libby had been living in senior housing when she started working at Model Cities. But she quickly realized, even though she was technically a senior, she wasn’t quite ready for the environment of senior living. Homeownership became her way to continue independent living, beginning a new chapter with some encouragement from the team. “Everybody was very helpful in every way. They were all very supportive and still are,” she said.
Model Cities housing counselors can help first-time homebuyers secure down payment assistance resources when purchasing a home, in the form of grants, forgivable loans, deferred-payment loans, low-interest loans, and matched savings programs.
“Not only did I get down payment assistance from the City of St. Paul, but also from another source, PRG,” she said. “They came up with $40,000 and $45,000 for down payment assistance. That was wonderful for me. I got a heck of a deal, because that’s not just one, but two additional sources. Down payment assistance is nothing to laugh at,” she said.
Ms. Libby closed on her home in early 2026, and after having some medical issues come up in the midst of her homebuying journey, will finally move the last pieces into her home this month.
“I got this life-changing illness I had to deal with, and I wasn’t satisfied with where I lived,” she said. “Senior housing wasn’t good for me. So, I can encourage people who find it isn’t working for you, or you don’t think you can buy a house, with this team of people by your side, you can do it,” she said.
Congrats again to Ms. Libby on the purchase of her home!
