NCRC member organization United South Broadway Corporation (USBC) is a shining example of what it looks like when an organization tackles a problem holistically. The community development corporation was created to help low-income community members purchase homes in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since then, it has grown statewide, establishing community programs that have changed the outcomes of community members’ lives.
USBC began in 1986 after neighbors in the South Broadway area came together to address public safety issues and a lack of support from the city for struggling residents. They decided to prioritize housing and helping community members purchase homes by offering home mortgage guidance and down payment assistance. In 1991, they founded the Fair Lending Center (FLC) to address racial disparities in homeownership and increase access to fair loans.
“Housing is one of the most racialized things in America,” said Debbie Norman, program manager for USBC. “Unless you address race, you won’t impact things like access and affordability.”
As the foreclosure crisis of the 2000s unfolded, it became clear that they couldn’t solely focus on helping people get homes, but that they also needed to ensure that community members who already owned them would be able to stay in their homes. USBC shifted its focus towards providing consultation and full legal services for those under threat of foreclosure. The crisis also led to USBC’s statewide expansion as more New Mexico residents – especially Black community members – began losing their homes to banks pushing exploitative deals.
USBC has always taken a more holistic approach to problem-solving by creating programs that address the broader needs of communities. They operate a youth conservation corps that offers paid forestry training for people aged 14 to 21, in addition to providing after-school programs, a community school and a community garden. USBC has also rehabilitated several commercial properties across the city, aiming to create walkable, welcoming spaces that deter crime and make Albuquerque a more beautiful place to live.
USBC understands that larger systems impact their community members, and they’ve been working to change those systems in New Mexico for decades. In 2004, they were an integral force behind the passage of the New Mexico Home Loan Protection Act. Before the act, lenders could force people out of their homes with little recourse. Now, homeowners can defend themselves in court and negotiate with lenders. USBC also conducts fair housing testing by sending out individuals posing as homeowners to assess how race impacts treatment by lenders – a valuable technique which NCRC itself routinely employs.
United South Broadway Corporation is a model for what it means to care for and invest in human beings in a community instead of just investing in the physical real estate of a place. USBC’s mission is to help “New Mexico communities prosper,” and they understand that prosperity isn’t achieved through a single policy or initiative. It is won through interlocking systems of support that transform entire communities.
Akin Olla is a Contributing Writer.
Photo description: A client of USBC’s housing counseling assistance program (photo courtesy of USBC).
