Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs extended her support to two Arizona families embarking on homeownership, courtesy of the "Arizona Is Home" mortgage assistance initiative she heralded during her 2024 State of the State address. The program's aim is to lessen the financial burdens that weigh down on first-time homebuyers through down payment assistance and interest rate buydowns. In her visits, which were symbolized by dreams turning into reality, Gov. Hobbs reinforced her commitment to making housing more affordable for the average Arizonan and underscored her ongoing battle against the state's housing affordability crisis, according to the Office of the Governor.
KOLD reported that Governor Hobbs is “leading a statewide effort to make the American Dream more realistic.” Meanwhile, Tucson Sentinel highlighted the success of the program through the story of Yudiria Redondo, who received $30,000 in down payment assistance. Unable to believe her good fortune, Redondo told the Tucson Sentinel, "It's like making your dreams true. I think everybody wants to be a homeowner." Araceli Jimenez, a HUD housing counselor with Administration of Resources & Choices who assisted Redondo, recalled the memorable moment: "I called her and I said, 'We have money, Yudiria.' She couldn't believe it. She said, 'No, I'm not going to be able to buy a home.' And so I said, 'Come on, let’s try it," as stated by the Office of the Governor.
The program has, till now, extended a helping hand to 362 families – a feat that does not go unnoticed in the eyes of Governor Hobbs, who, as funds are currently limited, expressed hopes to extend the initiative with additional financing. "It’s something I won’t forget," another beneficiary shared with KGUN, a testament to the program's tangible impact on lives, as per the Office of the Governor.
Another narrative, detailed by the Office of the Governor, emphasizes the program's far-reaching effects. A recent widow with four children, Contreras got $30,000 in down-payment assistance through the program, a support network that enabled her to transcend the confines of an eight-year tenancy, evolving into a homeowner poised to pass on generational wealth. Hobbs remarked of Contreras and her late husband's aspirations, "They had dreamed of home ownership together." Gov. Hobbs made it clear, "Housing affordability is an issue across the state, whether you’re represented by Democrats or Republicans."
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