BIPOC Home and Business Ownership project holds virtual meeting March 19

A project to help Upper Valley Black, Indigenous and People of Color residents and newcomers put down roots in this region will hold its second gathering from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19 via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public.

The first meeting, held in October of 2024, kicked off the BIPOC Home and Business Ownership project, which is a joint endeavor by community members Conicia “CJ” Jackson and Julius Turner, Vital Communities and Mascoma Bank. More than 100 people who are involved in the social well-being of BIPOC community members, the homeownership process and local businesses met in person to network, share resources and brainstorm ideas.

At the March meeting, a resource guide to facilitate home and business ownership will be unveiled. In addition, there will be a discussion of other topics that were identified in October, including:

• Capital: Unconventional lending options, expanding ownership-assistance programs
• Communications: Spreading the word about events, opportunities and resources
• Education: Financial resources, debt and creative forms of ownership
• Zoning: Developer incentives for affordable housing, how housing density is affected by water/sewer infrastructure

Click here to register; the Zoom link will be sent via e-mail.