You're probably thinking of gov't subsidized homes - the same which have been around in the Philly area for a long time. I don't know if they actually "owned" their own homes in that program... They're more like rentals, like the Section 8 the Dems are complaining about cutting.
But I'm talking about a more recent program - wherein people can take a voucher to go "buy" a home anywhere.
The home ownership voucher program was (from what I read) a Republican idea. Bush was for extending it in 2000, and he promoted it during his first term. Here's more from an article dated 2002:
QUOTE: "An estimated 400,000 minority and immigrant families seeking home ownership will receive assistance from America's NeighborWorks® organizations over the next decade as part of the initiative announced today by President Bush."
Link:
http://www.nw.org/network/newsroom/pressReleases/061702.asp
So, he extended the whole idea even further to home ownership - they can buy it with taxpayer help, and the home is theirs. You can't get them kicked out. That's why I'm sarcastically thanking him. And amused at Dem's complaint that he's cutting Section 8, when look at this other big-spending, big gov't program he created.
I voted for him, too, doesn't mean I agree with everything.
Oops, that's not a link to the right program.
Finding one...
No, I'm talking about HUD housing. I live in Island Park, NY, home of former Senator Al D'Amato.
Al D'Amato took govt money for the village to build these HUD homes. About 30 or so were built in Island Park when he was the Senator. Right before Chuck Schumer.
These buyers owned the home. The requirement was you had to have a certain income, under a certain amount.
You put your name on a list. I think you had to live in Island Park to get one.
So who got them? Sons and daughters of village officials and their friends. Some of them sold them a couple of years later for 3x what they paid for them. One of them was Al D'Amato's nephew I think. I believe they also got low interest mortgage.
My sister's kids were of the age where they could have bought one, but she didn't have any connections.