Local ownership ensures that people are invested in their communities. Compared to renters, homeowners are more likely to belong to parent-teacher organizations, repair or improve their homes, and vote. In addition, their children are 25 percent more likely to graduate from high school and 116 percent more likely to graduate from college. Local business ownership also contributes to the stability and quality of life in our neighborhoods by creating a sense of pride, providing role models, and recycling economic assets throughout the community.

Residents have discussed with us growing concerns over the lack of affordable homes for working families and young professionals, as well as the drastic increase in foreclosures. Small business owners across the city have expressed frustration with a City Hall that seems more interested in putting up barriers than encouraging economic growth through small business development.

Jass Stewart’s plan to increase local ownership in Brockton focuses on the need for housing that’s affordable to all residents, ways to support current homeowners keep and improve their homes, and more opportunities for small business owners to buy versus rent.

Expanding homeownership in every neighborhood of Brockton
Brockton’s housing needs are as diverse as its population. Income and demographic changes, as well as changes in household and family structure challenge us not only to keep up with the demand of high quality housing, but also to ensure that the available housing stock meets the needs of the changing population. Brockton’s large population of single-parent, young, working, and non-traditional households, people with disabilities, and the influx of new immigrant groups (who, statistically, have a higher number of persons per household than the traditional American household) will continue to intensify the demand for additional housing at various sizes and price ranges. Jass Stewart will work to solve our housing crisis by aggressively pursuing homeownership programs for Brockton’s renters, including well-established programs like Nehemiah Homes, Limited Equity Co-ops, Habitat for Humanity, and Rent-to-Own.

Helping homeowners improve and keep their homes
With today’s economy, we can’t forget that even Brockton’s homeowners are struggling to make ends meet. As we push to turn renters into homeowners, we want to ensure that current homeowners have the opportunity to hold on to and reinvest in their property. Jass Stewart will explore the creation of a Homeowner’s Insurance and Investment Fund that will provide insurance to homeowners who risk losing their home due to a series of late payments -- a consumer-centered PMI program. In addition, the Homeowner’s Fund would provide grants to a block of homes in each Ward each year. By making these grants available block-by-block, we will be able to transform neighborhoods in very visible ways, and encourage other homeowners to participate in this unique community building initiative. The granting of funds will be based on a strong neighborhood vision, not on a participant’s credit score or banking account.

Creating Brockton's first Small Business Incubator
In the Brockton area, small businesses make up 70 percent of all companies, employing nearly 50 percent of the workforce. Jass Stewart believes that government can be an important partner in helping these businesses grow. We will start Brockton’s first Small Business Incubator to nurture local entrepreneurs with a structured training curriculum that exposes them to the techniques, resources, and expertise necessary to help their businesses thrive. Participating companies will represent a broad cross-section of the community, including staple businesses, as well as new growth industries. SBI will also serves as a broker between City Hall and participating businesses to identify distressed and foreclosed property in the city that the business might consider purchasing outright, or acquiring through a limited equity co-op arrangement. In some cases, SBI will also provide shared office space and facilities for qualified start-ups and small business ventures.