Former Californian criticizes bill granting housing loans to undocumented immigrants: "Ridiculous"
Illegal immigrants may soon be eligible for home buyer loans in California.
Faith Lersey, a longtime multi-generational California resident, along with her husband and four kids, relocated to South Carolina in May to purchase their first home. The high cost of owning a home in California made it unattainable for them, so they decided to look elsewhere.
The progressive legislature of California is currently pushing a bill that would offer up to $150,000 in first-time homeownership loans to illegal immigrants, which, if passed and signed into law, would provide first-time homebuyers with up to 20% of a home's value or up to $150,000 as down payment assistance.
Lersey, who relocated from Los Angeles County, told Planet Chronicle Digital that the idea just seems ridiculous to him.
"What is the motive behind assisting an undocumented population in attaining homeownership in a place where citizens who have been there for a long time, have a generational history, are struggling to achieve that milestone? Lersey questioned. "It just makes me wonder where the interest is coming from and what the long-term play is.""
Lersey's current home in South Carolina is significantly cheaper than the homes she and her husband were considering in California.
The California Housing Finance Authority's home purchase assistance program, or California Dream for All Program, would be required to accept applications from illegal immigrants under bill AB 1840.
The bill cleared the state Senate on Tuesday.
Despite funds running out just 11 days after being instituted in June, the California Dream for All program passed, awarding 1,700 first-time homebuyers at the time. The prime concern in floor debate this week was finding more funding for the program.
Despite California's billions of dollars in debt and the high cost of living, droves of residents have left the state in the last four years.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson from California's Department of Finance informed KCRA 3 that the California Dream for All program has run out of funds.
The report highlights that the measure is being introduced against the backdrop of a national election where immigration has been a major issue, with the Trump campaign trying to link Vice President Kamala Harris to unpopular Biden administration border policies.
Gavin Newsom, California's governor and a top surrogate for President Biden and Vice President Harris, has not stated whether he will sign a bill into law if it passes the legislature before the August 31 deadline.
Planet Chronicle Digital's Jasmine Baehr and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
politics
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