Clarifying the Path: Advising the Own the HOU Homeownership Platform
Homeownership ecosystems are complex. Counseling agencies, lenders, educators, and nonprofits all play roles, yet prospective buyers often experience the system as fragmented and opaque.
Our advisory support for the Own the HOU initiative focused on designing a clearer, more accessible pathway — particularly for homebuyers of color who face both informational and trust barriers.
We worked with partners to gather stakeholder insight, define content priorities, and design a multimedia resource strategy. This included drafting a production scope, supporting vendor selection, and advising on scripts and storytelling approaches for a 16‑video educational library.
The resulting platform complemented in-person workshops and one-on-one services, creating an integrated engagement and education ecosystem. Rather than replacing existing programs, the video library serves as connective tissue — aligning providers and giving homebuyers a common starting point.
From an advisory perspective, this work illustrates that systems change is often less about inventing new services and more about improving navigation, coherence, and trust. Advisors can help organizations see their ecosystem as a whole and design interventions that make it easier for people to move through it.
