Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Home Blog Page 22

Notice of election County of San Mateo

NOTIFICATION FROM THE CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIAL OF THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION, FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY DISTRICT OFFICES, AND PARTISAN COUNTY CORE COMMITTEES, FOR WHICH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WILL BE ELECTED

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Presidential Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

ALL QUALIFIED PERSONS ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that elections will be held for the following offices in the County of San Mateo, State of California, for the purpose of electing members to the Federal, State and County District Offices indicate below:

Federal and State Positions:

President: 4-year term beginning January 20, 2025

US Senator: 6-year term beginning January 3, 2025

U.S. Senator (partial/unexpired term): This special vacancy election is for the remainder of the unexpired term in the United States Senate, which ends January 3, 2025

Representative in the United States Congress, Districts 15 and 16: 2-year terms; each begins January 3, 2025

State Senate, Districts 11 and 13: 4-year terms; each begins December 2, 2024

State Assembly, Districts 19, 21, and 23: 2-year terms; each begins December 2, 2024

Nonpartisan County Offices:

– Superior Court Judge: 10 vacant positions; 6-year terms beginning January 6, 2025

– Board of Supervisors, Districts 1, 4 and 5: 4-year terms; each starts on January 6, 2025

Central Party County Committees

– Democrat, Green, Peace and Freedom, and Republican

Please call the San Mateo County Registration and Elections Division at 650.312.5222 for more information on the number of vacant positions.

Declarations of candidacy and nomination papers for qualified candidates who wish to run for any of the elective offices may be obtained at the San Mateo County Registration and Elections Division located at 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402, phone number 650.312.5222, effective November 13, 2023, and must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on December 8, 2023. If any eligible officeholder does not file nomination papers by the established date and time, voters will have until 5:00 p.m. on December 13, 2023 to nominate candidates other than the holder of such position.

I FURTHER PROCLAIM that at such election such constitutional amendments, questions, propositions and proposed bills as the Constitution and laws of this State require to be submitted shall be submitted to the vote of the electors.

NOTICE IS ALSO NOTIFIED that all Vote Centers will be open for a minimum of eight hours daily beginning 10 days before Election Day, between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. including weekends and holidays. Voting Centers will be open between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Mail Ballots, Voting Center Ballots and Provisional Electoral Ballots voted in the Election to be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, will be counted at the location indicated below:

San Mateo County

Registration and Elections Division

40 Tower Road

San Mateo, CA 94402

Dated: December 2023

_/s/_Mark Church

Chief Election Official and

County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder

12/8/23

CNS-3760967#

THE REPORTER

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO Community Outreach Public Notice

Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Supervisors Pursuant to the Administrative Code, Section 2.81SF.GOV/ES

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Board or Commission Vacancies: Get on a Board or Commission!

The Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) The AAB resolves legal and appraisal issues between the Assessor’s office and property owners. The hearings are quasi-judicial and are conducted in a manner similar to a court, with evidence and testimony presented by the parties. The Board then evaluates the evidence and testimony and renders its decision. To be eligible for appointment to the position, you must have a minimum of five years of professional experience in California as: (1) CPA; (2) Real Estate Broker; (3) lawyer; or (4) property appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized organization, or certified by the Office of Real Estate Appraiser or the State Board of Equalization.

For a complete list of current or future boards, commissions, and task forces, visit https://sfbos.org/vacancy-boards-commissions-task-forces.

Department Announcements

 Elections Department

The choice is yours! Go paperless!

For each election, the Department of Elections publishes a voter information pamphlet and a sample ballot. The pamphlet provides nonpartisan information on voting, candidates and measures. By law, we must mail you a brochure unless you choose not to receive it. There are several reasons to opt out of paper brochure mailings:

– You will save taxpayer money we use to print and mail.

– You will reduce your carbon footprint.

– You can access election information anytime, anywhere.

Does your household receive more than one copy of the Brochure? Consider having all but one voter opt out so their household can share a printed copy. Not sure you’ll like reading the online brochure? Give it a try – re-engaging is just as easy!

If you’re ready to make the switch to the digital pamphlet, go to sfelections.org/voterportal or call us at 415-554-4375.

Department of Child Support Services

Child support matters can be complicated, stressful and confusing. The Department of Child Support Services helps parents understand the process so they know their rights and options for making and receiving support payments. We are available to assist you in person or by phone. Call us today at (866) 901-3212 for more information. Request services online or schedule an appointment at sf.gov/dcss to learn how we can help you.

Department of Public Health

Count on WIC for Healthy Families!

WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for women, infants, and children. You may qualify if:

– Are pregnant, breastfeeding or have just had a baby;

– You have children under 5 years old; and

– Has low to medium income; I

– You receive Medi-Cal, CalFresh (food stamps), or CalWORKS (TANF) benefits; and

– He lives in California

WIC provides: nutrition education and health information, breastfeeding support, food benefits for healthy foods (such as fruits and vegetables), referrals to medical providers, and community services.

Learn more at: MyFamily.wic.ca.gov or www.wicworks.ca.gov

Sign up early! Call today to see if you qualify and schedule an appointment- (628) 206-5494 or (415) 657-1724

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages public outreach. Articles are translated into multiple languages to provide better public access. The newspaper does everything possible to correctly translate articles of general interest. The City and County of San Francisco or the newspapers assume no responsibility for errors and omissions. CNSB #3760689 – El Reportero.

CIUDAD Y CONDADO DE SAN FRANCISCO Aviso público de alcance comunitario

CIUDAD Y CONDADO DE SAN FRANCISCO

Aviso público de alcance comunitario

Preparado por la Oficina de la Secretaria de la Junta de Supervisores De conformidad con el Código Administrativo, Sección 2.81SF.GOV/ES

Vacantes de la Junta o Comisión de la Junta de Supervisores de San Francisco: ¡Participa en una Junta o Comisión!

La Junta de Apelaciones de Evaluación (AAB) La AAB resuelve cuestiones legales y de valoración entre la oficina del Tasador y los propietarios. Las audiencias son cuasijudiciales y se llevan a cabo de manera similar a un tribunal, con pruebas y testimonios presentados por las partes. Luego, la Junta evalúa la evidencia y el testimonio y dicta su decisión. Para ser elegible para el nombramiento de puesto, debe tener un mínimo de cinco años de experiencia profesional en California como: (1) contador público;(2) corredor de bienes raíces; (3) abogado; o (4) tasador de propiedades acreditado por una organización reconocida a nivel nacional, o certificado por la Oficina de Tasador de Bienes Raíces o la Junta Estatal de Ecualización.

Para obtener una lista completa de las juntas, comisiones y grupos de trabajo actuales o futuros, visitehttps://sfbos.org/vacancy-boards-commissions-task-forces.

Anuncios del departamento

Departamento de Elecciones¡

La decisión es tuya! ¡Vaya sin papel!

Para cada elección, el Departamento de Elecciones publica un folleto de información para los votantes y una boleta demuestra. El folleto proporciona información no partidista sobre votaciones, candidatos y medidas. Por ley, debemos enviarle un folleto por correo a menos que usted opte por no recibirlo. Hay varias razones para optar por no recibir el envío de folletos en papel:

– Ahorrará el dinero de los contribuyentes que utilizamos para imprimir y enviar por correo.

– Reducirás tu huella de carbono.

– Puede acceder a la información electoral en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar.

¿Recibe su hogar más de una copia del Folleto? Considere la posibilidad de que todos los votantes menos uno opten por no participar para que su hogar pueda compartir una copia impresa. ¿No está seguro de que le gustará leer el folleto en línea? Pruébelo: ¡volver a participar es igual de fácil!

Si está listo para hacer el cambio al folleto digital, vaya a sfelections.org/voterportal o llámanos al 415-554-4375.

Departamento de Servicios de Manutención Infantil

Los asuntos de manutención infantil pueden ser complicados, estresantes y confusos. El Departamento de Servicios deManutención Infantil ayuda a los padres a comprender el proceso para que conozcan sus derechos y opciones para realizar yrecibir pagos de manutención. Estamos disponibles para atenderte personalmente o por teléfono. Llámanos hoy al (866) 901-3212 para más información. Solicite servicios en línea o programe una cita en sf.gov/dcss para saber cómo podemos ayudarle.

Departamento de Salud Pública

¡Cuente con WIC para Familias Saludables!

WIC es un programa de nutrición financiado con fondos federales para mujeres, bebés y niños. Puede calificar si:

– Está embarazada, amamantando o acaba de tener un bebé;

– Tiene hijos menores de 5 años; y

– Tiene ingresos bajos a medios; y/o

– Recibes beneficios de Medi-Cal, CalFresh (cupones para alimentos) o CalWORKS (TANF); y

– vive en california

WIC proporciona: educación nutricional e información de salud, apoyo a la lactancia materna, beneficios alimentarios paraalimentos saludables (como frutas y verduras), referencias a proveedores médicos y servicios comunitarios.

Obtenga más información en: MyFamily.wic.ca.gov o www.wicworks.ca.gov

¡Inscríbete temprano! Llame hoy para ver si califica y programar una cita- (628) 206-5494 or (415) 657-1724

Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.

La Ciudad y el Condado de San Francisco fomentan el alcance público. Los artículos se traducen a varios idiomas para proporcionar un mejor acceso público. El periódico hace todo lo posible para traducir correctamente los artículos de interés general. La Ciudad y el Condado de San Francisco o los periódicos no asumen ninguna responsabilidad por errores y omisiones. CNSB # 3760689  – El Reportero.

FTC scales language barriers to battle scammers

As of this fall, the FTC’s Language Access Initiative will expand its services to include up to a dozen new languages

by Mark Hedin

The Federal Trade Commission has a new strategy for battling fraud. As of this fall, its Language Access Initiative provides interpreters who can take fraud reports and provide advice in many more languages than just English and Spanish.

At a Nov. 21 press briefing the federal agency hosted with Ethnic Media Services – simultaneously translated into Spanish, Korean and Mandarin – two FTC officials and a lawyer/journalist described how the new multilingual services work and some of the ways they’re expected to help protect consumers.

“We’ve long had the ability to hear from people in English and Spanish,” said Monica Vaca, deputy director in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Getting reports from people in other languages has been a limitation for us.”

Vaca emphasized the importance of people making those reports not just for their own sake but to help the FTC get the word out before more people are scammed.  “We can only bring cases and do education about scams that we know about,” she said.

Fraud toll nears $9 billion

Just based on the number of reports people made in English or Spanish, fraud and deceptive or unfair business practices cost U.S. consumers close to $9 billion last year, noted Larissa Bungo, senior attorney with the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education.

People who are worried they have been victimized can reach out for FTC help either on the phone or online.

Doing so will alert the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network – a pool of 3,000 law enforcement officers at federal, state and local levels – to be on the lookout.

If the FTC can catch the culprits quickly enough there is the possibility of getting your money back – another reason to not hesitate if you think you’ve been cheated.

For example, the FTC was able to recover $245 million that it is returning to customers of Epic Games, creator of the popular game Fortnite, which the FTC alleged tricked young players into making unintentional purchases.

The deadline for filing a claim is Jan. 17 of 2024.

Don’t hesitate to report fraud

Of course, to get money back with FTC help, you have to identify yourself when making a report, but in any case, you will never be asked about your immigration status.

Sometimes, success in getting money back depends on how the victim was defrauded. For instance, if payments were made using a credit card, it may be possible to contest the charge with the card company.

So be careful. “Only scammers insist you pay by gift card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer,” Bungo advised.

Another reason to not delay reporting suspicions is that scammers often work from overseas where they and the money they obtained are harder for law enforcement to reach.

Even if you successfully dodge a scam, reporting the attempt helps inform and thus protect otherwise unsuspecting potential victims, Bungo said.

The multilingual call-center staff and information available at the agency’s website can also provide a range of “next steps” for people to consider.

By phone, call (877) 382-4357, then press 3. A succession of messages in different languages will tell you what number to press next to reach an in-person interpreter who knows your language.

Lines are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, which is 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the West Coast.

New language choices available as of last month include Portuguese, French, Tagalog, Somali, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian, Polish, Korean, Ukrainian, Hmong and Mandarin.

The FTC has the ability to find interpreters in almost 200 languages, as needs arise.

This multilingual reporting system can also be used to report identity theft situations. For those, call (877) 438-4338, then follow the same process of dialing 3 to access the various languages available.

You can make either fraud or identity theft reports online at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IdentityTheft.gov or, in Spanish, ReporteFraude.ftc.gov and RobodeIdentidad.gov.

Those four web pages all have drop-down lists in a box labeled “languages” or “idiomas” that let users complete reports in dozens of other languages.

Bungo also described numerous resources the FTC provides at no cost for people to distribute within their communities, whether online or in print.

For instance, there’s a fraud handbook for recent immigrants and refugees and guidance for small business owners. There’s information about “four warning signs of a scam,” descriptions of common tricks such as fake invoices, business impersonation, bad business practices, phony job opportunities, phony online retailers and “phishing” links disguised to look like they’re from companies trying to make a delivery.

If asked, the agency will also print and ship these guides to community organizations, at no charge, Bungo said.

Information the ‘most powerful weapon’ against scammers

Lawyer and journalist Jongwon Lee described a scenario he witnessed and reported on in Atlanta’s Korean community, where a retiree lost tens of thousands to an investment scammer who gained his trust in part by being conversant in Korean.

Publicity about the case, a pyramid scheme that became known as Club Mega Planet, helped prosecutors uncover other victims in several states. Making law enforcement aware of additional cases increases the likelihood of criminals being arrested, and prompt reporting can help prevent the stolen money from being spent before it can be recovered.

“The FTC’s Language Access Initiative is historic,” Lee said. “It shows that government agencies are looking to do justice for immigrants like us. Language access gets rid of fear and shame and gives you confidence and encouragement that you are not alone and somebody is listening to you.”

“Information is the most powerful weapon against scammers. Get educated and informed.”

Who causes so much joy? The Conception of Mary! It is the Gritería of Nicaragua

by the El Reportero’s staff and news services

La Gritería is the largest religious manifestation in Nicaragua. This holiday, in honor of the Most Pure and Immaculate Conception of Mary is celebrated on the night of Dec. 7, the eve of the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The city of León has the honor of being considered the cradle of this intangible cultural heritage that has transcended the country’s borders.

The event begins when all the Catholic churches ring the bells at 6 in the afternoon so that they can come out and sing to La Purísima. The event ends at 12 midnight at the signal of the bells.

The festival originated in the city of León in the 19th century and has since become a popular tradition throughout Nicaragua. During La Gritería people go from house to house singing and shouting “Who causes so much joy?” and the answer is “The Conception of Mary!”

In exchange, the owners offer small gifts or treats, such as candy or fruit, to the participants. The festival is a vibrant and joyful celebration of faith and community, as well as a way to honor the Virgin Mary in Nicaraguan culture.

Basically it is done like this: people gather in groups, stop in front of an altar, sing traditional songs (the same ones as in ‘La Purísima’), the owners of the houses give away fruits, sweets, toys, instruments to make noise, drinks natural, and other types of gifts; Finally, they move on to another altar. Homeowners who have set up altars wait until another group comes to sing.

‘La Gritería’ lasts until the owners of the houses have no more gifts to give or until the streets have no more singers, but until after the church bells ring at 12 midnight.

The purest

Meanwhile, the festivity continues on December 8 with the celebration of the Purísima, which includes praying the rosary for nine days, accompanied by traditional religious songs among family and friends.

In Nicaragua, Claudia Ashby, from Managua, is in a hurry, with time short for the last couple a couple of weeks, shopping and preparing everything for the event that she celebrates every year at her house, and she wants feel proud that those who attend leave with the best impression of her Purísima.

Imagine ‘La Purísima’ like this: somewhere in a family home there is a richly decorated altar, with a statue of the image of the Virgin Mary. In front of this altar, a series of chairs are arranged that will be occupied by family, friends and neighbors invited by the owners of the house to celebrate her Purísima.

All attendees accompany with whistles, rattles, tambourines and other instruments.

Who is to blame for the destruction of the San Francisco shopping corridor?

San Francisco downtown has been in decadence since the ban of cars on Market Street, a stupidity made by the autonomous SFTMA, nonelected body, whose members dream of Paris or Amsterdam style. And the Mission District commercial corrido followed, with increase of crime, dragging commerce to the ground. Profits have fall and stores closed.

Four years ago, San Francisco made a crazy decision to distinguish its most famous corridor by banning cars, like if Americans were not used to driving. Overnight these bureaucrats in charge, wanted to change people’s behavior, thinking, “now the people will be happy walking without the danger of cars…”

For the first time in roughly 120 years, the city banned private vehicles on part of Market Street with the idea to improve public safety and transform San Francisco’s most important traffic artery.

A $600 million capital project called Better Market Street promised to create a futuristic boulevard that would safely buffer bicycles and scooters on elevated sidewalk lanes, separating the little wheels from rapid bus lines, vintage streetcars and pedestrians, explained a local media. The thought that because beneath the surface, ran BART trains and Muni, it would continue to shuttle passengers around the city and across the bay, and everything would be beautiful.

They were wrong. Now all the money spent on their futuristic idea has been nothing but a socially and economically disaster.

Of course, ideas created by bureaucrats usually translate into big money, as the city must continue creating bonds to continue the money flow.

The victims? Go and see how Market street looks like now? Who comprise the sidewalk traffic now days? So many office spaces are now empty that the city is now trying to convert them into housing to fill the housing scarcity – which will probably house low income people and perhaps, the homeless?

What was built in a couple hundred years, has been destroyed in just four.

San Francisco is not San Francisco without its once robust downtown, Market Street. We need cars back, they bring people, shoppers, they revitalize, bring money that create jobs.

It’s time to take the city back from those none elected boards like the SFTMA and dissolve them. We need the elected officials to take charge.

BMO commits $2 million to help families in disadvantaged California communities become homeowners

BMO’s Welcome Home Grant program expands to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. Applicants may be eligible to receive up to $26,500 for down payment and home closing costs

Corporate news

LOS ANGELES, November 29, 2023 – BMO today announced a $2 million commitment to expand its Welcome Home Grant program, which helps California households in disadvantaged communities move toward realizing the dream of home ownership. The program is expanding to seven new markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. The program, which launched in March 2022, is available in seven other markets, including Chicago, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

A recent BMO Digital Real Financial Progress Index revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans are postponing purchasing a home because several factors have complicated financial access to housing. The expanded Welcome Home Grant program offers up to $16,000 in funding to eligible applicants, helping them with down payment and closing costs for the home purchase contract. In this way, buyers from less favored communities will be able to access the credit they need, accelerating the process of purchasing their own home. By combining this program with other housing financing programs, eligible people in California can receive up to more than $26,500.

“BMO is committed to helping qualified homebuyers make real financial progress toward becoming homeowners, which historically has been an important element of getting ahead financially,” said Eric Smith, vice president of BMO. “The Welcome Home Grant program removes barriers that prevent minority and low- to moderate-income communities from becoming homeowners. At BMO, we are motivated by our Purpose to Boldly Develop the Good in business and life, and be an engine of change to achieve an inclusive society, including resources that help close the racial wealth gap.”

“The expansion of this program allows BMO to further serve homebuyers in underserved communities across the country, assisting individuals and families with a critical boost to realize their dream of homeownership,” he said. Brenda J. Rodríguez, executive director of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse in California.

The program demonstrates BMO’s efforts to drive inclusive economic progress in the United States. The program is an integral part of EMpower 2.0, BMO’s more than $40 billion community benefits plan, which consists of a series of commitments that seek to eliminate key barriers to economic inclusion by supporting and investing in communities and organizations in the United States, with a commitment of more than $16 billion to California.

Chinese company says cancellation of lithium mining concessions confirmed

by Mexico News Daily

The federal government has reportedly confirmed its decision to cancel lithium mining concessions held by a Chinese company for a project in Sonora.

Reuters reported that Ganfeng Lithium said Thursday that the Economy Ministry has maintained cancellations of certain mining concessions held by its subsidiaries.

Ganfeng told its investors in August that it had been advised by Mexico’s General Directorate of Mines that it had failed to meet minimum investment requirements between 2017 and 2021 and nine concessions it held for its Sonora lithium project had been canceled as a result.

However, President López Obrador – whose government nationalized lithium last year –subsequently said that the cancellation of the concessions was still under consideration.

Reuters cited a statement from Ganfeng, in which the company said it would file for international arbitration in response to the decision to cancel its concessions.

Peter Secker, the UK-based CEO of Bacanora Lithium, a Ganfeng subsidiary that is managing the Sonora project, told the El País newspaper in October that the company would defend the firm’s ownership of the licenses in Mexican courts.

He said that Bacanora, which was acquired by Ganfeng in 2021, has spent tens of million of dollars in Sonora over the past 12 years, adding that when initial mining law changes were made, the belief was that existing concessions would be respected.

“And then obviously, … we were informed that the government would be canceling the licenses,” Secker said.

“We do not believe that it’s legally valid” to cancel the concessions, he said, expressing an opinion also voiced by the president of the Mexican Mining Chamber.

“… We will maintain all our legal rights to defend this … [given] that we have spent many tens of millions. We’ve exceeded all the requirements for spending on the licenses. We’ve built a pilot plant; we have a design for a project that will produce 35,000 tonnes a year of lithium carbonate. It would be one of the largest plants in the world,” Secker said.

He told Reuters earlier this month that the Sonora lithium project couldn’t proceed until issues with the Mexican government were resolved, adding that there was no clear timetable for that to occur.

“Construction work for Ganfeng’s [US] $800 million production plant has not started, which had already made a 2023 production start target unreachable even without the government challenge,” Reuters reported.

Secker reiterated that Bacanora/Ganfeng has “exceeded the minimum spend required” to hold onto the concessions.

He told El País that Ganfeng is open to forming a joint venture with Mexican authorities to carry out the project in Sonora, where the potential lithium reserves are in clay deposits that are technically difficult and expensive to mine.

“Ganfeng has the money to do this. It’s got the technology, and it has the people to develop this project without any assistance from the government. However, we have had discussions with the government over the last few years and, and we’re happy to work with the government. We just need to sort out their apparent attempt to cancel the licenses,” Secker said in late October.

“It would be silly for the government not to work with Ganfeng to develop a strategy,” he told Reuters.

The Finance Ministry has estimated that lithium reserves in Sonora – where Mexico’s largest potential deposits are located – could be worth as much as US $600 billion. There are smaller deposits in other states including Baja California, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas.

According to the Bacanora website, the company owns ten mining concessions covering approximately 100,000 hectares in the northeast of Sonora. It is estimated that there is some 8.8 million tonnes of lithium carbonate in the area for which the company received 50-year concessions in 2011.

Lithium is highly sought after because it is a key component of lithium-ion batteries used for green energy storage and can thus play an important role in the transition to clean energy.

Reuters reported that “battery production and recycling plants are set to be part of a larger project” in Sonora, slated to be developed after lithium production begins.

Secker said that construction of the lithium production plant will take 18 months, but when that project will be able to commence – if ever – is unclear.

With reports from Reuters.

 

BMO commits $2 million to help families in disadvantaged California communities become homeowners

BMO’s Welcome Home Grant program expands to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. Applicants may be eligible to receive up to $26,500 for down payment and home closing costs

Corporate news

LOS ANGELES, November 29, 2023 – BMO today announced a $2 million commitment to expand its Welcome Home Grant program, which helps California households in disadvantaged communities move toward realizing the dream of home ownership. The program is expanding to seven new markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. The program, which launched in March 2022, is available in seven other markets, including Chicago, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

A recent BMO Digital Real Financial Progress Index revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans are postponing purchasing a home because several factors have complicated financial access to housing. The expanded Welcome Home Grant program offers up to $16,000 in funding to eligible applicants, helping them with down payment and closing costs for the home purchase contract. In this way, buyers from less favored communities will be able to access the credit they need, accelerating the process of purchasing their own home. By combining this program with other housing financing programs, eligible people in California can receive up to more than $26,500.

Eric Smith, vice president of BMO

“BMO is committed to helping qualified homebuyers make real financial progress toward becoming homeowners, which historically has been an important element of getting ahead financially,” said Eric Smith, vice president of BMO. “The Welcome Home Grant program removes barriers that prevent minority and low- to moderate-income communities from becoming homeowners. At BMO, we are motivated by our Purpose to Boldly Develop the Good in business and life, and be an engine of change to achieve an inclusive society, including resources that help close the racial wealth gap.”

“The expansion of this program allows BMO to further serve homebuyers in underserved communities across the country, assisting individuals and families with a critical boost to realize their dream of homeownership,” he said. Brenda J. Rodríguez, executive director of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse in California.

Brenda J Rodriguez
Brenda J Rodriguez, executive director of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse in California

The program demonstrates BMO’s efforts to drive inclusive economic progress in the United States. The program is an integral part of EMpower 2.0, BMO’s more than $40 billion community benefits plan, which consists of a series of commitments that seek to eliminate key barriers to economic inclusion by supporting and investing in communities and organizations in the United States, with a commitment of more than $16 billion to California.

BMO commits $2 million to help families in disadvantaged California communities become homeowners

BMO’s Welcome Home Grant program expands to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. Applicants may be eligible to receive up to $26,500 for down payment and home closing costs

Corporate News

LOS ANGELES, November 29, 2023 – BMO today announced a $2 million commitment to expand its Welcome Home Grant program, which helps California households in disadvantaged communities move toward realizing the dream of home ownership. The program is expanding to seven new markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim and Riverside. The program, which launched in March 2022, is available in seven other markets, including Chicago, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

A recent BMO Digital Real Financial Progress Index revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans are postponing purchasing a home because several factors have complicated financial access to housing. The expanded Welcome Home Grant program offers up to $16,000 in funding to eligible applicants, helping them with down payment and closing costs for the home purchase contract. In this way, buyers from less favored communities will be able to access the credit they need, accelerating the process of purchasing their own home. By combining this program with other housing financing programs, eligible people in California can receive up to more than $26,500.

Eric S. Smith
Eric Smith, vice president of BMO

“BMO is committed to helping qualified homebuyers make real financial progress toward becoming homeowners, which historically has been an important element of getting ahead financially,” said Eric Smith, vice president of BMO. “The Welcome Home Grant program removes barriers that prevent minority and low- to moderate-income communities from becoming homeowners. At BMO, we are motivated by our Purpose to Boldly Develop the Good in business and life, and be an engine of change to achieve an inclusive society, including resources that help close the racial wealth gap.”

Brenda J Rodriguez
Brenda J. Rodríguez, executive director of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse in California.

“The expansion of this program allows BMO to further serve homebuyers in underserved communities across the country, assisting individuals and families with a critical boost to realize their dream of homeownership,” he said. Brenda J. Rodríguez, executive director of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse in California.

The program demonstrates BMO’s efforts to drive inclusive economic progress in the United States. The program is an integral part of EMpower 2.0, BMO’s more than $40 billion community benefits plan, which consists of a series of commitments that seek to eliminate key barriers to economic inclusion by supporting and investing in communities and organizations in the United States, with a commitment of more than $16 billion to California.

1...212223...595Page 22 of 595

SELECTIONS

POPULAR TICKETS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Welcome to our Marvin J. Ramirez website! We are an innovative newspaper located in the heart of San Francisco. With a relentless passion for telling powerful stories, we inform our community with truthful news, insightful analysis, and compelling reporting.

Contacto: lreportero@aol.com

FOLLOW US

© Copyright 2023. Agenciadigital.pw. All rights reserved.