Latest Updates

  • RFP: Video Production for Homeownership Web Toolkit

    The Harris County Homeownership Collaborative and our Own the HOU Initiative are working to build a video library to support homebuyers and homeowners through every step of the homebuying and homeownership process! We’re looking for a Houston-based (or Houston-familiar) video production partner who knows how to tell clear, accessible and empowering stories. The right partner should enjoy collaborating with our strategy team to bring them to life. Find the RFP at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jJtu1O6BZKTfG0Dwjuw6-Jiadef_GTV6/view?usp=sharing.

    Why This RFP is Different (And Totally Worth It)
    ● Deep community insights already gathered
    ● A storytelling-first strategy – not just another explainer series
    ● A team of planners, creatives, real estate professionals and counselors ready to collaborate
    ● Templates and evergreen content that will be used (and you can be proud of) long-term
    ● A meaningful opportunity to support Houston housing

    Key Dates
    RFP Due: 5 pm Central Time, Friday, Sep 26, 2025
    Interviews: Week of Oct 6, 2025
    Kickoff: Oct. 13, 2025
    Final Delivery: January 2026

  • RFP: Marketing, Outreach, and Web/UX Design Services

    The Harris County Homeownership Collaborative (HCHC) invites proposals from qualified consultants and firms to provide Marketing and Web/UX Design Consulting Services in support of the Own the HOU Initiative. This initiative aims to increase homeownership in Houston and Harris County by enabling 5,000 new households to purchase homes.

    The purpose of this RFP is to secure expert partners who can help drive locally relevant digital
    accessibility and innovate housing counseling service delivery to achieve the initiative’s ambitious goal:
    enabling 5,000 new households to become homeowners in Houston and Harris County.

    Responses are due by 5 PM CST on September 15, 2025 to Yvonne Dotie, [email protected].

    Please read the full RFP at this link and follow the instructions to respond: https://lisc.app.box.com/s/pps7ara9uvpw1r02i8yreknc7qwswa8g.

  • Join our Interactive Homeownership Fair on Saturday, June 28!

    Welcome to Own the HOU’s event, A Passport to Homeownership & Preservation!

    Register at this link to join us at Houston Community College – Central Campus for a day filled with workshops, resources, and experts ready to help you navigate the world of homeownership. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking to preserve your current home, this event is perfect for you. Learn about loans, maintenance, and more from industry professionals. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take the next step towards owning your dream home!

  • Fair Housing in Homeownership

    Fair Housing in Homeownership

    Have you heard of the Fair Housing Act? It protects homebuyers and homeowners from discrimination. To understand more about your rights under the Fair Housing Act, download the Fair Housing summary sheet on this page and read this blog post for further information.

    The Fair Housing Act protects against housing discrimination for “protected classes,” which are specific groups of people protected by law. The protected classes under the Fair Housing Act include race, color, national origin, disability status, family status, religion, and sex. Under the law, home sellers, realtors, lenders, and others involved in homebuying and homeownership may not take certain discriminatory actions against these protected classes, such as refusing to sell a home to someone based on their race or the color of their skin, or saying in advertising that a home will not be sold to families with children.

    In Spring 2024, Kinder Bridges Fellow Ruchi Tiwari worked with LISC Houston to complete a research project on fair housing issues that affect Houston and Harris County homebuyers and homeowners. Ms. Tiwari completed 31 qualitative interviews with participants in Own the HOU programs to understand their awareness of fair housing protections, as well as any discrimination they faced in the homebuying process. She found that more than two-thirds of participants did not know who to contact if they experienced discrimination in the homebuying process, and more than two-thirds also did not know that discriminatory advertising of homes is not allowed by the Fair Housing Act. 

    Your knowledge of the Fair Housing Act can help protect you as you work to purchase and retain your home – and you can also be a resource on the Act for your family and friends to ensure they are treated fairly according to federal law. Please download our summary sheet and keep it for your reference.

  • Own the HOU Milestone – Over 2,000 New Homebuyers Served!

    Own the HOU Milestone – Over 2,000 New Homebuyers Served!

    Own the HOU has officially assisted more than 2,000 homebuyers to become new homeowners! This puts our initiative on track to achieve the goal of creating 5,000 new homeowners within the time period of our Wealth Opportunities Realized Through Homeownership (WORTH) grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. We are thrilled at the efforts of our Own the HOU partner agencies and of our new homeowners alike to reach this milestone, and are moving forward with a renewed commitment to reach our 5,000 homeowner goal. For more information, please see this recent post from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research on their blog, Urban Edge.

Get matched with a housing agency to jump start your journey.

Have a question about the homebuying process, or need a little help along the way? Are you a homeowner looking for advice or resources? Complete this form to be connected to a local housing counseling agency.