First Spanish Housing Seminar in Lafayette, Louisiana

The Spanish-speaking community in Lafayette, Louisiana, has grown significantly over the past twenty years. Now, many of these new residents are eager to buy a house in the city or in other areas of Lafayette Parish. For this reason, real estate agents are currently seeking strategies to address the growing housing needs and to meet the demands and requests of these new Spanish-speaking buyers.

One of the challenges encountered in facing this issue is the shortage of Spanish-speaking staff in public positions. Therefore, the Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) will hold a housing workshop or seminar in Spanish, aimed at providing participants with the necessary knowledge to purchase their new home.

Belle LeBlanc, LCG’s human services manager, said, “We conduct homeownership training every month in English, but with the increase in our Latino community, we wanted everyone to feel included.”

To give us an idea, Lafayette Parish had 3,400 Latino residents, which represented approximately 1.9% of the population. By 2020, the census reported 15,893 Latino residents, or 6.6% of the parish’s population.

This growth has increased the demand for public services in Spanish, which is why the workshop organizers emphasize that this outreach is crucial for building trust with a community that is often disconnected from local resources.

Nanette Farmer, a local organizer, has recruited Spanish-speaking real estate professionals for the workshop and is translating for professionals who do not speak Spanish. Additionally, Farmer has provided financial education to Spanish speakers and has helped them establish bank and credit accounts to lay the groundwork for future homeownership.

Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a title attorney, real estate agents, insurance agents, and even a mortgage lender, all with the purpose of training families not only to buy a house but also to learn how to interact with the country’s financial institutions.

Fernando Pérez-Viart, director of the nonprofit organization Proyecto Hispano de Ayuda a la Comunidad, says that the fear of foreclosures due to high rates, affordability, and access to housing remain major issues in Lafayette. He believes that housing prices are unattainable with the low wages many Spanish speakers earn.

LCG already has plans to organize this Spanish housing seminar annually and to expand classes and housing counseling through translators. Likewise, LCG housing counselors often work individually with clients and offer support on issues such as foreclosure and housing rehabilitation.

Available Foreclosures:

Lafayette: 12 homes available

Lafayette Parish: 8 homes available

By Elías DaSilva | 08 de Noviembre de 2024.