100 Black Entrepreneurs, Biden, Harris, Funeral, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman,,Marcyliena H. Morgan

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 24, 2024

New Jersey Family Seeks Justice After Funeral Home Dresses Wrong Body In Their Loved One’s Clothes

A family is suing a funeral home for allegedly presenting the wrong corpse.

A New Jersey family has filed a lawsuit against a local funeral home after they saw the wrong dead body in their loved one’s clothes and casket.

The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 5 in New Jersey Superior Court, accuses Boyd Funeral Home in Camden, New Jersey, of negligence in the handling of human remains and infliction of emotional distress. The family of the late Addison Jenkins, who died on Feb. 11, 2023, says they were left traumatized after going to pay their respects a day before a public viewing only to find another body in the casket.

“At or around 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 17, Plaintiffs approached the casket supposedly holding Addison and became immediately distressed and angered when they saw another unrecognizable corpse dressed in Addison’s clothes and belongings,” the complaint obtained by People alleged. “The Plaintiffs were shocked, upset, confused and full of tears.”

The family says the funeral director wasn’t present to address their concerns, but an employee showed text messages from the director stating that the body belonged to Jenkins. However, the family and funeral home staff “continued to disagree with each other as to whose body was in the casket,” the lawsuit states.

The complaint goes on to accuse the funeral director of sending photos to Jenkins’ family to confirm the identity of the body. However, the family disagreed, pointing out that Jenkins had a cauliflower ear, which the other body did not. They also noted that Jenkins had a noticeable infection on his feet, which was absent in the photos.

Jenkins arranged his funeral at the funeral home ahead of his passing. His widow went to the funeral home on Feb. 15, 2023, to bring her late husband’s clothes and personal belongings in preparation for the services and final internment. However, two days later, the family was allegedly presented with another body.

“As a result of the above,” the complaint read, “Plaintiffs have become emotionally distraught. The Plaintiffs have been denied their right to grieve the death of their late loved one and, further, have been found to endure severe and ongoing emotional distress.”

The family says that as a result of Boyd Funeral Homes’s allegedly “negligent acts and omissions,” they have “suffered and continue to suffer severe emotional distress and damages,” the complaint states. It also accused the funeral home of “failing to use the accepted degree of professional skill as others in the same profession(s) and communities, constituting negligence and causing the infliction of severe emotional distress on the Plaintiffs.”

According to the complaint, the family requests a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 24, 2024

Private Equity Firms Are On The Prowl For Skilled Trades Companies

The acquisition of skilled trades companies have become more popular due to their stability and earning potential.

Private equity firms are looking more toward the acquisition of skilled trades companies.

According to the Wall Street Journal, firms have acquired and consolidated almost 800 companies since 2022. Skilled trades, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical, are deemed more favorable due to their stability through turbulent economic times and earning potential.

These businesses often scale up from these trained professionals’ entrepreneurial ambitions, making them profitable ventures for firms. However, these acquisitions essentially take over the management, which would have normally stayed within the original owner’s family or passed down to long-time employees.

Despite this, owners are still choosing to make acquisitions due to the sizable payouts. Entrepreneurs selling their businesses have also created a new sector of millionaires, as Forbes reported.

Through these acquisitions and the additional consolidation of smaller businesses, PE firms are increasing operations and marketing tactics to boost customer outreach. Moreover, the newly created companies can dominate the market and then sell at a higher valuation.

The number of people seeking careers in skilled trades has also skyrocketed, especially from younger demographics. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, enrollment in vocational-focused community colleges increased 16% between 2022 and 2023.

According to Data USA, most students at North American Trade Schools identify as Black, accounting for over 80% of those enrolled. However, their representation in the trade profession does not reflect these numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also found that only 6% of construction workers are Black, and only 10% of electricians in the country are Black.

Acquisitions may even hurt the prospects of emerging and current Black trade workers. The increased focus on profit returns may lead to cost-cutting decisions, directly impacting employees. This could range from reduced benefits to heavier workloads to maximize efficiency and job insecurity.

Moreover, Black employees may be left out of pathways to ownership with PE firms taking over. These small businesses have been historically known for services ranging by provider. However, this new trend may create a landscape that leans more toward corporate and potentially to customers’ and employees’ detriment.

RELATED CONTENT: Top 10 Cities Where Workers Are the Happiest

by Sharelle B. McNair

October 24, 2024

Why Philly’s Black Motorcycle Club Is Encouraging Black Men To Vote

More of this....please!

With less than two weeks until Election Day, NBC News reports that a Black motorcycle group from Philadelphia is teaming up to ensure that Black men get to the polls to vote.

More than 100 Black men, donned in motorcycle vests and boots, rode out on Oct. 19, just days before Pennsylvania’s voter registration deadline — Oct. 21. Treading through some of the city’s historically Black neighborhoods, known for weak voter turnout numbers, police escorts and Rev. Mark Tyler of Mother Bethel AME Church led the group. Rev. Alyn E. Waller of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, home to the city’s largest Black congregation, also participated and celebrated working diligently to encourage men to vote. “Here we are in Philly, 100 fellas on bikes in the city, and the police are helping us, not chasing us,” Waller said.

“At the end of the day, we know that we have done some good, not just for us, but for everybody.”

Working with the nonpartisan voter engagement group Black Men Vote, Waller said the strategy is all about reminding Black men “to exercise their franchise.” Black Men Vote Director Joe Paul shares similar desires. During this sequential election cycle, the group set a goal to register 100,000 Black men nationwide to vote. Paul revealed that 95% of that goal had been reached—with 60,000 coming from Philly—but the work needs to continue.

Black men have been the target of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s campaign, mostly zoning in on key battleground states. Both candidates know that the demographic is important in helping them secure the White House. However, poll numbers are swinging either way.

Most Black voters have declared support for Harris, but Trump is still in the running, including new support from former NFL athletes Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Support from groups like Black Bikers Vote is important as each member tells a different story. On the biker’s tour, mural artist Chuck Styles unveiled a new work of a Black father with his little girl hoisted on his shoulders, heading to vote. Styles says he wanted those like him in his neighborhood to be inspired. “I’m a father and a husband, father of three beautiful girls. So, I wanted to have an image of a father and a daughter. Him inspiring her to just, you know, press forward and think about the next generation,” Styles said.

“It is very important for us young Black men to step up and vote, and not just vote, but vote for the right things, vote for the right causes, and vote for what’s going to help you and your community and your family.”

According to the Philadelphia Tribune, the event featured speeches from organizers, sponsors, elected officials, and city icons. The ride ended at Fourth District Container Village, where supporters gathered for a voter registration rally. Rappers Freeway and Beanie Sigel stepped back into their craft to perform songs before urging attendees to vote, although both admit to still not knowing who they will vote for. “I feel like, first and foremost, young brothers want to know that their voice counts and that their vote counts. A lot of them are confused. Don’t even think it matters, you know, and when we, when we as Black men, when we are in a position where we feel like things don’t matter, then don’t pay no attention to it,” Freeway said.

“So that’s the mission we’ve been on. We’ve been trying to encourage people and let them know their voice definitely matters and it definitely counts.”

by Daniel Johnson

October 23, 2024

Trump Goes On Anti-Black Rant Against VP Kamala Harris At Rally

According to Rachel Noerdlinger, a Democratic communications strategist and a senior advisor to Win With Black Women, Trump's (barely) coded language is an attempt to undermine Harris’ qualifications based on her race and gender

At an event on Oct. 22 in Miami, former President Donald Trump referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “lazy” and questioned her intelligence and stamina.

According to ABC News, the event was intended to court support from Latinx voters, but that did not stop the former president and convicted felon from launching into a series of anti-Black comments about Harris.

Trump called Vice President Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major political party ticket, “slow” and indicated that he believes she has a “low IQ.”

Later, at a rally in Greensboro, Trump repeated the claims, referring to Harris as “a stupid person” and asked the crowd, “Does she drink? Is she on drugs?”

Trump also insinuated that Harris is a DEI candidate, saying that Harris is running “because they (the Democratic Party) want to be politically correct.”

Although some Republicans have called for Trump to refrain from personal attacks, it is abundantly clear he has no intention of doing so.

According to Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, Trump’s attacks are not based on either her race or gender, but “It’s simply because she has no respect for the American people and takes voters for granted.”

Per the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the characterization of Harris, who is both Black and of South Asian descent, as lazy, plays on historically demeaning tropes and stereotypes.

Those stereotypes, the museum said, “were used to help commodify Black bodies and justify the business of slavery.”

The NMAAHC continued, “Yet laziness, as well as characteristics of submissiveness, backwardness, lewdness, treachery, and dishonesty, historically became stereotypes assigned to African Americans.”

According to Rachel Noerdlinger, a Democratic communications strategist and a senior advisor to Win With Black Women, Trump’s (barely) coded language is an attempt to undermine Harris’ qualifications based on her race and gender.

“Trump is reviving the old trope that Black women are unqualified for jobs historically held by white men,” Noerdlinger told The Washington Post. “Not having a campaign event while you’re in the middle of also governing isn’t ‘lazy’ — making almost 300 trips to the golf course as president is.”

In August, The New Yorker surmised that his racist attacks are part of an attempt to get the focus off of him and onto his opponent.

As Susan B. Glasser wrote, “The Harris attacks represent a textbook example of his approach to politics, combining his belief in the strategic power of race-baiting to mobilize his base and his favorite tactic for disrupting a bad news cycle: changing the subject to something even more outrageous.”

Glasser continued, “Every minute spent debating Harris’s race—or his own folly in raising it—is a minute not spent on Trump’s own failings: on his advanced age and manifest unfitness for the Presidency; on his legal liabilities and criminal conviction; on his kooky Vice-Presidential nominee and his party’s extreme right-wing agenda.”

According to Vox, racism was a key driver of Trump’s win in 2016, and it is becoming clearer that he is trying to create the same outcome using those methods this time around.

According to a model created by Matthew Fowler, Vladimir Medencia, and Cathy Cohen, Trump won based on racial resentment, which they defined as “a moral feeling that Blacks violate such traditional American values as individualism and self-reliance.”

The outlet also traced Trump’s long history of racist controversy, starting with a 1973 Justice Department lawsuit that indicated that Trump and his Trump Management Corporation refused to rent to Black tenants. Trump claimed that the government was trying to make him rent to welfare recipients.

In 2016, Trump also claimed that Harris “doesn’t meet the requirements” to be Joe Biden’s running mate, an incident the outlet said was a continuation of the birther controversy he started during former President Barack Obama’s first term.

According to Vox, a separate list of incidents compiled while Trump was running for president in 2016 reveals a man who is, at his core, deeply racist.

“This list is not comprehensive, instead relying on some of the major examples since Trump announced his candidacy. But once again, there’s a pattern of racism and bigotry here that suggests Trump isn’t just misspeaking; it is who he is,” the outlet explained.

It continued, “So while Trump may deny his racism and bigotry, at some level, his supporters seem to get it. As much as his history of racism shows that he’s racist, perhaps who supported him and why is just as revealing — and it doesn’t paint a favorable picture for Trump.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 23, 2024

Quincy Brown Faces Backlash For Releasing Family Vlog Amid Diddy’s Sex Trafficking Case

Quincy Brown is under fire for releasing a family vlog series despite his father's criminal case.

Quincy Brown is being urged to “read the room” after he decided to release a family vlog series amid his father’s high-profile sex trafficking case.

The eldest of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ children, whose biological father is singer Al B Sure, but who was raised by Combs, came under fire on Oct. 22 after unveiling his “Just A Vlog” series on The Shade Room. In the trailer, Quincy is seen spending time with his siblings, brothers Justin, 30, and Christian Combs, 26, as well as his sisters, twins Jesse and D’Lila, 17.

Their disgraced father, 54, who is currently in prison awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, makes a brief appearance toward the end of the minute-long clip, appearing shirtless in the kitchen as he announces the “Combs Family Vacation.”

The series “will show the behind-the-scenes of his family,” TSR shared. “In the show, people will be able to view the Combs Family through their own lens as Quincy documents his family doing various activities, family vacations, the highs and lows, and more.”

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While Quincy might have wanted to use the vlog series to humanize his family amid Combs’ criminal case, many were not impressed by the gesture. Criticism filled the comments section, with a number of viewers telling Quincy to “read the room.”

“Them kids reading everything but the room,” one person wrote.

“This is the stupidest idea ever,” added someone else.

The trailer was released shortly after Quincy and his six siblings issued a joint statement expressing their support for their father ahead of his federal sex trafficking trial set for May 5th.

“The past month has devastated our family. Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media,” Quincy wrote.

“We stand united, supporting you every step of the way. We hold onto the truth, knowing it will prevail and nothing will break the strength of our family. WE MISS YOU & LOVE YOU DAD.”

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Quincy’s attempt comes as Combs faces a series of lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault, among other crimes. Among the most recent lawsuits include one from a man who claims the Bad Boy founder tried to assault him at a Ciroc party but was stopped by a pro athlete.

Other suits anonymously name a male and female celebrity. Combs is currently being held in a New York detention center due to his federal sex crime charges.

Shyne Barrow, P Diddy, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Bad Boy

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 23, 2024

Shyne Proclaims Being ‘Set Up To Be The Fall Guy’ For 1999 ‘NYC Shooting Involving Diddy

Shyne speaks about the trial for the upcoming Hulu documentary, "The Honorable Shyne," which debuts on Nov. 18

Diddy’s co-defendant in the Club New York shooting in 1999, former Bad Boy recording artist Shyne, has declared in an upcoming documentary that he was “absolutely set up to be the fall guy” for the crime that was committed that late night.

According to Billboard, in a trailer for the upcoming Hulu documentary, “The Honorable Shyne,” released on Oct. 22, the former rapper, who is now the leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party in his native country, reiterated his claims of being set up when the trial took place in 2001.

“I was absolutely set up to be the fall guy,” Shyne stated. “I spent 10 years in prison, but I was able to move on. There’s a time to pivot; there’s a time to transition.”

The explosive doc’s trailer was released on YouTube, announcing that “The Honorable Shyne” will debut on the platform on Nov. 18.

The documentary isn’t based on the trial but is more about Shyne’s career, which was sidetracked due to him having to serve jail time because of the Club New York shooting.

He explains the trial and the aftermath of having to pay the penalty based on his feeling that he was set up to take the fall so that Diddy, who was known at the time as “Puffy,” could avoid jail for his alleged role in the incident.

“I spent 10 years in prison, but I was able to move on. There’s a time to pivot; there’s a time transition. And that’s how I got into politics.”

After Shyne was released from prison in 2001, he was deported back to his homeland. Once he arrived in Belize, he turned to politics, which followed his father’s career path, Dean Barrow. The elder Barrow served as deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs from 1993 until 1998 and was the then-leader of the opposition from 1998 until the United Democratic Party (UDP) won the election in February 2008.

Gary Payton, Green Label Rx, hemp, Cannabis

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 23, 2024

NY Medics Report Epidemic Of Severe Reaction To Cannabis Called ‘Scromiting’

Inside the reported epidemic hitting New York emergency rooms called "scromiting."

A growing epidemic is reportedly sending New Yorkers to the hospital due to severe reactions to cannabis.

The sickness, dubbed “Scromiting,” named for the combination of ‘screaming and vomiting’ experienced by sufferers in extreme pain, is becoming an increasingly common sight in emergency rooms, according to doctors. The potentially dangerous vomiting condition is seeing a resurgence among chronic cannabis users, leaving many hospitalized, the Daily Mail reports.

Doctors are still working to understand the condition medically known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), which can also lead to seizures, kidney failure, and, in some cases, be fatal. Experts believe the symptoms typically emerge after prolonged heavy marijuana use, often over about a decade.

A New York Times investigation revealed that CHS cases are on the rise, with medics now describing it as a “common” issue. One doctor cites CHS as a “bread and butter” diagnosis because they frequently see patients suffering from the sickness. Another stated that they encounter it “every week if not every day.”

An oddity surrounding the condition that doctors are still working to understand how hot water often relieves symptoms. However, the solution can ironically lead to injury, as sufferers spend hours in scalding hot baths or showers trying to alleviate their symptoms, sometimes burning themselves in the process.

Researchers are still looking into how long CHS lasts, how it develops, and why it affects some individuals. Early symptoms may persist for years before progressing to the “scromiting” phase, which can last for days before subsiding, though it may return.

The only known way to prevent CHS from recurring is for users to stop consuming cannabis products. Quitting can be an issue for those who have been using cannabis for a long portion of their lives. Doctors have noted that many CHS patients often started consuming cannabis in their teens.

Current theories about what can cause the condition suggest prolonged exposure to cannabis may overstimulate certain receptors in the body, destabilizing the vomiting reflex. Some doctors also point to the increasing potency of cannabis products amid increases in legalized cannabis use as a potential factor contributing to the rise in cases.

by Stacy Jackson

October 23, 2024

Venus Williams Partners With SoFi For ‘Give Her Credit’ Campaign To Share Financial Advice

The Wimbledon champ shares her money habits and how she's helping women achieve financial independence with her latest campaign.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Venus Williams, SoFi, and Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink partnered this month to launch the “Give Her Credit” campaign and award $500,000 to 50 recipients to support of women’s financial independence.

According to an Oct. 15 press release, Venus Williams is a judge for the national campaign initiative, which aims to create real opportunities and drive progress to help women build a secure financial future. The “Give Her Credit” campaign will award cash prizes of up to $10,000 each. A recent SoFi survey revealed that 77% of female SoFi members are confident they can accomplish their financial goals. However, only 51% of women feel confident managing their own finances. “At an early age, I had clear ambitions and drive to be the best, with the discipline and determination to win, but soon learned of the inequalities and imbalances I would have to face to succeed,” Williams said.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act has allowed women to acquire loans, credit cards, and other financial opportunities without a male co-signer. Since the passing of the act, 90% of women have managed or shared financial decisions among their households, and single women now own more homes than single men. “Imagine as a woman not being able to access credit. These are rights my mom didn’t have when she was growing up, which is crazy,” Williams told PopSugar in an October interview.

Williams was taught she wasn’t supposed to talk about money growing up. Now, she’s doing just that with a net worth approaching $100 million and an active appreciation for personal financial advocacy. Taking control of her own money became vital for the tennis champ after a shopping trip in Italy almost resulted in Williams being swindled by shopkeepers. Williams recalled the incident, shopping around and not wanting to seem “cheap,” asking for prices. “It was this wake-up call; after that, I was completely changed,” she said. “You have to not only ask for the price but also a discount. It’s my money; it’s how I want to spend it. It doesn’t matter if I seem like Ebenezer Scrooge. I have to talk about it.” Williams asserted that knowing your self-worth is a major factor when it comes to financial success because institutions won’t always acknowledge it.

“Not all debt is bad debt,” the Wimbledon champ said. For people of color like herself, she wants her community to understand the power of using debt as a tool to build wealth. “You can leverage debt or borrow against your account, and I just didn’t understand the opportunities before that,’ she said of knowledge she obtained in previous real estate development courses.

As a woman who loves jewelry and clothes and spoiling her dog, Williams remains a stickler when it comes to her mother’s advice to “never live beyond your means.” In 2018, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion told CNBC Make It that her first big check went right in the bank, and she didn’t really spend “any of it.” As a professional athlete, she never wanted to be known as one of those who “had it all and then lost it all” due to poor spending habits.

Williams made history in 2007 after winning the Wimbledon championship and becoming the first woman to receive a paycheck equal to the men’s Wimbledon prize. She recalled her advocacy for equal pay and better sponsorships for women during a Sept. interview with SoFi. “Not only was it not equal, but nobody really cares if it is,” she said. Williams shared that she wasn’t worried about the consequences of being outspoken at the time. “There was no consequence, in my opinion, outside of suffering through another year of being paid unequally.”

Individuals interested in submitting applications for the $10K “Give Her Credit” campaign can apply between Oct. 15 and Nov. 13. Winners will be notified in early December, followed by an official announcement in January 2025.

by Kandiss Edwards

October 23, 2024

Florida Scammer Indicted For Alleged PPP Loan Fraud

PPP loan indictments keep on coming.

Carnisha Maurica Rogers was indicted on Oct. 21 for allegedly committing fraud to collect Payment Protection Plan (PPP) loan funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

The U.S. Attorney’s office cites three other charges in the indictment.

“Four counts involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, and four counts of false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme and COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Secret Service -– Jacksonville Field Office began investigating Roger’s alleged conduct, where more details were uncovered. Rogers is said to have allegedly applied for a PPP loan with the Small Business Administration (SBA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. She filed for a PPP loan to help her failing small business. Rogers did not own a business. She received $20,832 in COVID-19 relief. In 2021, Rogers filed for PPP loan forgiveness, claiming that $18,000 of the loan was used to satisfy payroll.

The defendant’s alleged crimes did not begin in 2020. The investigation uncovered that Rogers was allegedly part of a multi-person network that stole Social Security information from unsuspecting victims. The network would later sell that information online.

“From February 2016 through September 2019, Rogers and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. They also attempted to obtain at least one luxury vehicle. Rogers and her co-conspirators resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms.”

Roger’s accomplices were not named in the indictment, and there is no indication that they have been charged with the offenses at this time.

Rogers is not the only Florida resident accused of PPP loan fraud. On Oct. 18, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on Florida businessman Issa Asad. Asad used his company, QLink Telecommunications Inc., to receive $600 million in government subsidies through the Federal Communication Commission’s Lifeline program. Asad pleaded guilty to “hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 relief funds.”

“Issa Asad and his company, Q Link Wireless, purposefully defrauded two critical federal programs helping individuals and businesses suffering financial hardship, unlawfully taking hundreds of millions of dollars for their use and profit while obstructing the United States’ ability to help people who, unlike the defendants, needed it,” said Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Asad’s sentencing is scheduled for January 2025. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison if given the maximum sentence.

homebuying, Ohio, Georgia dream, homeownership, the credit bros

by Stacy Jackson

October 23, 2024

Mother Of 3 Nearly Homeless After Georgia Dream Lender Delayed Closing Date For Months

The Georgia mother lived with her sons in a hotel for weeks with no updates from the lender about a closing date on her home in Perry.

After finding their dream home in Perry, Georgia, Chayla Kendall and her three sons reportedly awaited a move-in date for months due to alleged delays from an affiliated mortgage lender of the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program.

The teacher moved her family from Gwinnett County to seek homeownership in the more affordable small town. However, after the mother of three was approved for the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program, she called 11Alive Investigates when DHI Mortgage, an affiliated lender of the program, pushed back her closing date four times over four months.

The Georgia Dream Homeownership Program offers first-time home buyers lower interest rates and down payment assistance if they meet requirements below certain income limits.

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Kendall says she was prompt with uploading all required documents into the portal, including tax returns, a credit report, and an application affidavit. The Georgia Dream recipient says she entered the contract and submitted her earnest money on April 27, 2024, only to have DHI Mortgage delay the closing date three times by September. “They kept saying it’s going to delay; Georgia Dreams takes time,” Kendall said. “But to be able to come with down payment assistance and closing costs was something that I thought it would be worth the wait.”

The Georgia woman alleged the lender’s goal was to see her walk away from the deal, but giving up her dream home wasn’t an option. She enrolled her three sons in the Perry school system and stayed in a hotel for several weeks. The mother and her boys even stayed in a temporary rental property with no furniture, but there was still no communication from DHI Mortgage about the closing date. “It is a disconnect between the Georgia Dream and helping families and the lenders and making money.” With just 72 hours to move out of the temporary rental, DHI Mortgage had set a closing date for Aug. 28, only to push the process back again. “DHI Mortgage claims they weren’t able to reach the Georgia Dream to get final approval to release the down payment assistance to close,” Kendall said.

According to Wesley Brooks, Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs’ deputy commissioner for homeownership, turnaround and processing times have been longer than usual. Brooks noted that the DCA, which runs the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program, increased staffing and made leadership changes to move the process along smoother and faster for recipients. The commissioner claimed the fault for Kendall’s four-month delay may lie with her lender. “Unless one of those lenders is getting us the right information, we can’t process it, and that’s when you see those extended timelines,” Brooks said and added that the agency guarantees Georgia Dreams lenders are reputable, trained, understand the system and “have the homebuyer’s interest at heart.”

A spokesperson told 11Alive Investigates that after working closely with Kendall, they were awaiting final approvals from Georgia Dreams’ end. Approvals have been finalized as of 11Alive’s October report, and Kendall and her family have moved into their new home.