Rapper Launches Homeownership Campaign

Rap singer and entrepreneur Russell Simmons has announced an initiative to boost the national rate of multicultural homeownership by assisting families from underserved groups who are seeking to buy their first homes.The key partners in the "Get Your House in Order" campaign are Simmons' UniRush Financial Services, BET.com, Black Enterprise, Chevy Chase Bank, and myfico.com. "Less than half of all African-Americans nationally own their homes," Mr. Simmons said. "Worse, the rate of homeownership among low- to moderate-income working families with children is declining, even though the overall U.S. homeownership rate has risen." The campaign aims to provide financial tools, services, and information to boost the rate of African-American homeownership and to assist "underserved multicultural families" in buying their first home.