What is the Homebuyers Club?

MANNA was the first organization in the country to create a Homebuyers Club, which is a peer support group and a homeownership counseling program. This program, created in 1986, has been replicated nationally by NeighborWorks America (formerly the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation). MANNA offers very low-, low-, and moderate-income residents of DC a comprehensive program of education and peer support to prepare for home purchase and to sustain that investment of time and money by supporting them. Many lower-income families seek the American Dream, i.e. owning a home, but have little or no understanding of what it takes to achieve their goal. For many prospective MANNA homeowners we recommend that they enroll in Manna’s nationally respected and replicated Homebuyers Club.

What can the Homebuyers Club do for me?
The Homebuyers Club (HBC) educates potential homebuyers on the fiscal responsibilities of home purchasing and homeownership. The program combines group education, peer support and one-on-one counseling in order to meet members’ various learning needs and financial goals. The goal is to help each member responsibly purchase a home and be able to maintain that home over the long haul.

 How do I join and what can I expect?
Before joining a chapter, potential members attend an orientation to components of the HBC program, as well as expectations for meeting attendance and communication with MANNA staff on individual goals.

HBC members attend a monthly group education meeting for three hours, which is divided into 3 three segments – 1) financing/budget/mortgage process, 2) do’s and don’t’s with credit, 3) real estate market today, including affordable homeownership projects in Washington, DC. MANNA also incorporates time for club members to get to know and support one another. To facilitate attendance, MANNA holds these meetings on Saturdays and provides a light breakfast and free childcare.

While meeting attendance is important, setting and meeting individual financial goals requires ongoing work. MANNA helps individual HBC members develop goals and conducts weekly one-on-one counseling tailored to their needs.