HeritageOne – a new Freddie Mac mortgage product to support members of Native American communities – will provide affordable financing options for single-family properties on tribal lands in rural areas, creating greater access to homeownership.
Native American borrowers, especially first-time homebuyers, will also have access to financial counseling, conventional financing for various types of land ownership interests (e.g., tribal trust land, allotted trust land, unrestricted or restricted fee simple land) and other resources.
“With HeritageOne, we are again breaking new ground in our efforts to safely and responsibly expand opportunities in traditionally underserved communities,” says Sonu Mittal, single-family senior vice president of acquisitions at Freddie Mac.
The intent behind HeritageOne is outlined in Freddie Mac’s 2022-2024 Duty to Serve Plan, which specifically details the company’s commitment to provide housing support for tribal members in rural tracts within Indian Country.
To qualify for a HeritageOne home mortgage, at least one borrower in the household must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized Native American tribe who will occupy the property as a primary residence.
“The limited access to affordable mortgage financing options has affected our communities for far too long and it has impacted the ability of our members to build generational wealth through homeownership,” says Tawney Brunsch, executive director of Lakota Funds, the first-ever Native community development financial institution on tribal lands.
“HeritageOne can help break down these walls, providing greater access to responsible homeownership and broader economic opportunities through financial counseling for our historically underserved communities,” adds Brunsch. “We look forward to making it widespread in tribal lands.”
