EV R Vol. 33, No.11 -FREEEVE ETT T Have a Safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! D OCAT www.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday City of Everett opens ‘Journey of Champions’ exhibit at Parlin Library Exhibit honoring Everett’s Black History through sports will be available until March 30 T Pictured from left to right: Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins, Library Director Kevin Sheehan, Bishop Robert Brown, Assistant Director of Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Eric Mazzeo and Ward 4 Councillor Holly Garcia. Special to Th e Advocate T he City of Everett was recently joined by elected offi cials and members of the community to unveil the Journey of Champions exhibit at the Parlin Library in celebration of Black History Month. The exhibit, which was curated by the City of Everett’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Cathy Draine, will take attendees back in time through decades of Everett’s Black athletes. Spanning many diff erent sports, the exhibit includes posters crafted by Joe Ronan from the City’s DPW Sign Division and memorabilia shared by some of the athletes. This event capped off the series of events the Youth Development and Enrichment Department hosted at the Recreation Center previously, which this exhibit expanded upon to include the 20th century. EXHIBIT | SEE PAGE 12 SINCE 1921 Messinger Insurance Agency 475 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 Phone: 617-387-2700 Fax: 617-387-7753 NEW COMPETITIVE AUTO RATES AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE ACCIDENT FORGIVENESS DISAPPEARING COLLISION DEDUCTIBLE 11% DISCOUNT WITH SUPPORTING POLICY 10% COMBINED PAY IN FULL DISCOUNT AND GREEN DISCOUNT 10% GOOD STUDENT DISCOUNT Celebrating 100 years of excellence! Monday thru Friday: 8am to 6pm Saturdays 9am to 1pm! Check out our NEW website! www.messingerinsurance.com The Everett High School Winter Sports banquet honored Greater Boston League (GBL) All-Stars on Tuesday night at Anthony’s of Malden. EHS Wrestling Coach Nick Erban is shown with GBL All-Stars Maria Medeiros and Kevin Argueta during Tuesday’s banquet. See next week’s edition for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) ADVOCTE 617-387-2200 Friday, March 15, 2024 City Council approves $400K grant for First Time Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program for City Employees By Neil Zolot he City Council approved the establishment of a $400,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development (now, the Executive Offi ce of Housing and Livable Communities) at their meeting on Monday, March 11. Aff ordable Housing Coordinator Zerina Gace said the program makes “homeownership more accessible for people to achieve their dream of becoming homeowners” – which “fosters a sense of belonging.” “Homeowning, particularly among working-class families, has a massive barrier to entry, made increasingly diffi - cult as housing costs outpace wage increases,” Director of Planning and Development Matt Lattanzi added. “Everett’s First Time Homebuyer Payment Assistance Program helps create a pathway for homeownership, allowing our residents to remain in the City long term while they build equity in their residence.” $100,000 of the grant is for city employees, not necessarily living in Everett but intending to buy a home here. “The City’s First-Time Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program is designed to help first-time homebuyers with the initial costs associated with purchasing a home,” Gace elaborated. “Key to this program is the provision of a forgivable loan of up to $20,000 to eligible fi rst-time homebuyers, or those who have not owned a home in the past three years, as well as displaced homemakers or single parents who have previously owned a home with a spouse. “This loan reduces much of the initial fi nancial strain associated with down payments, a hurdle that often impedes potential buyers from entering the housing market. “We’re dedicated to making the application process straightforward and effi cient, emphasizing a fi rst-come, fi rstserved approach. What makes this program particularly valuable is its design as a forgivable loan. When the home remains the primary residence of the buyer for fi ve years, no refi - nancing or ownership transfer occurs, and the loan is forgiven, 20% each year. “After fi ve years, the loan will be converted to a grant. This initiative is tailored to serve those with incomes between 60% and 100% of the area median income, addressing GRANT | SEE PAGE 10 EHS Winter Sports GBL All-Stars Banquet
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