b'St. Joseph Housing Initiativeboard members (from left):Maureen McCuen, Mike England, Sister Mary Ann Nestel, Marie Kenyon, JaneTracy and Matt Padbergcompared to 56 percent of white residents. But the Finding a way to break this juggernaut was crucial.problems arent just about homeownership, says Thats when Archbishop Robert J. Carlson stepped intoBridget Flood, executive director of Incarnate Word the picture. The Archbishop offered seed money so thatFoundation, a Catholic nonprofit, and guiding vision- SJHI could begin buying homes and helping first-timeary of SJHI. Its also about community equity, racial homebuyers navigate the mortgage maze. equity and socio-economic equity.As these events unfolded, St. Marys High SchoolSJHI was created to address these disparities, using jumped into action, offering space to house the SJHIhome ownership as a fulcrum to right the imbalances. office and benefiting it with the leadership skills ofThe Initiative decided to start in Dutchtown where the Mike England and others in the school community.average household income is $26,000 a year. If you look Now that the Initiative has begun buying homes, Mikeclosely, this city neighborhood of 17,000 is fraying at the foreseesplenty of opportunities for faculty and studentsedges. And while two-thirds of people across Missouri to get involved, for example, helping with parts ofown their homes, less than a third are homeowners here. the renovations, he says. And he is especially proudDutchtown is a diverse neighborhood that always of St. Marys alumnis commitment to SJHI, startinghas welcomed immigrants, many arriving more recently with Henry Schapers family.from Vietnam, Bosnia and an array of Spanish-speaking This must be Gods work, says Sister Mary Ann,countries. Yet, most of these newcomers, as well as amazed at how quickly the Initiative came togetherAfrican-American residents, cannot afford to buy a and at the partners who came on board. Were so gladhome. Instead they rent houses or apartments, paying, the Marianists are part of it. This truly reflects theon average, $800 a month.Marianist charism.Many times, their rent is more than a monthly Marianist Provincial Father Oscar Vasquez agrees,mortgage payment, says Sister Mary Ann Nestel, CSJ, SJHIs commitment to strengthen poor and margin-and chair of the SJHI board. Yet most families dont alized families through homeownership reflects ourhave the means to make a down payment on a house. core values as Marianists. Our founder, Blessed6 Call 1.800.348.4732'