June is Homeownership Month, and the local One Roof Community Housing nonprofit is getting the word out about its programs.

One Roof even offers first-time homebuyers courses so they can learn what they need to know about insurance, inspections, realtors, credit, mortgages, and more.

“We offer Home Stretch. It is a free class available to anybody looking to purchase in the Twin Ports area, up the Shore,” One Roof Housing Services Manager Niki Kolodge said. “We teach it approximately once a month fully on Zoom. And we go through the whole home-buying process from start to finish.”

The state of Minnesota also offers down payment assistance affordable mortgage products, Kolodge said, but some programs require buyers participate in a class like One Roof’s Home Stretch.

The organization also has over 300 homes in Duluth and the surrounding area as part of the Community Land Trust model. Those properties are available to households earning 80% of the area median income and below.

“The homeowner and One Roof, in our case, sign an agreement called a land lease agreement that allows for that home to be sold below market rate so it’s more affordable,” Brooke Tapp said. “And then One Roof stays along as a partner for the life of that homeownership experience with that particular homeowner and then also the length of the home when it gets sold to another homeowner.”

There is an online application to get access to the Community Land Trust program.