There's been little change in the homeownership rate for Black families in 50 years, so some lenders are rethinking their practices to make buying a home more a reality than a dream.

Research shows a 20%-30% gap between Black and white homeownership rates has persisted for more than 100 years, despite increases in Black homeownership in the mid-1900s. Among the many causes today include credit scores averaging around 649 for 60% of African Americans.

Jonathan Leysath, Jacksonville branch manager for Self-Help Credit Union, said they have adjusted their mortgage products to help boost equity in the lending process and be more lenient with buyers with credit challenges.

"The Equity Boost product can go all the way down to a 580 credit score with only a minimum borrower investment as low as only 1%," Leysath explained. "As opposed to like the FHA, which is 3.5%."

Leysath argued flexibility is important because many factors continue to block economic progress for Black individuals. They include the pandemic's negative economic effects and the burden of heavy student debt, which disproportionately affects people of color.

Another possible solution to building equity is for more financial institutions to provide similar programs to help people access more resources.

Crystal German, executive vice president of communications, development, policy and impact for Self-Help Credit Union, said finances often drive talks of disparities and wealth. She pointed out their goal is to create innovative and holistic programs to help people of color develop wealth through homeownership.

"I mean, this is about having a freedom," German emphasized. "And it may not be a physical freedom, but it is a financial freedom that allows people to live their best lives."

The Fair Housing Act passed in 1968, making it illegal for anyone to be discriminated against when renting or buying a home. Before the civil-rights legislation, many Black families were locked out of the opportunity to create generational wealth by purchasing a home and passing it down to their children.

Last year, Americans reported losing a record-breaking $5.8 billion to scams, and now, the State of California and AARP are teaming up to try to bring the number down.

A four-part web series on consumer fraud protection debuts today at noon and runs every Wednesday through the end of the month.

Sally Westlake, targeted outreach specialist for the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, pointed out so-called romance scams affect thousands of people.

"The most recent report by the FBI said last year, over 3,000 Californians fell victim to online romance scams, losing a total of nearly $184 million," Westlake reported. "The most vulnerable to fall victim to romance scams are people over the age of 60."

The first Scam Chat webinar will cover the most prevalent types of fraud in California right now. The other three in the series will cover home improvement and solar schemes, investment fraud, and financial empowerment.

Jackie Wiley, also a targeted outreach specialist for the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, said people should be suspicious when a person calls or emails, claiming to work with a financial institution, or a law enforcement or government agency.

"It could be a utility company, telling you that your bill is delinquent. It could be 'the IRS.' It could be someone saying you missed jury duty," Wiley outlined.

Wiley added it is always a big red flag if a caller or email asks for payment via cryptocurrency or gift card. You can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission or to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation call center.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Maryland is joining a nationwide effort to crack down on illegal robocalls.

Along with attorneys general from every other state, Maryland's Brian Frosh is joining the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. It will investigate and take legal action against the telecommunication companies turning a blind eye and profiting from illegal robocalls coming into the U.S.

Jen Holtz, associate state director for outreach for AARP Maryland, said it is a great step forward in its partnership with the Attorney General's office to prevent the financial exploitation of older adults.

"In working with Attorney General Frosh in some of these activities that we've sponsored with him, the issue of robocalls comes up multiple times, every single time," Holtz pointed out. "We know it's top of mind for the public."

Common scam calls are against older adults related to Social Security and Amazon scams against consumers. Americans lost nearly $30 billion through fraudulent calls in 2021, according to the National Consumer Law Center. And last month alone, roughly 71 million robocalls were placed in Maryland, which averages more than eight calls per person.

Holtz encouraged consumers to take precautions to avoid becoming the victim of a scam call by hanging up on illegal robocalls, verifying the caller if they claim to be from an agency or organization, and exploring free and low-cost call-blocking options. And she emphasized it is important to stay vigilant.

"They're criminals, they're not following the rules, they're not abiding by the law," Holtz stressed. "They don't care whether you're on that list. So if you're on those Do Not Call Lists, and you're getting that call anyway, it's probably not a legitimate call."

She added education is the best form of prevention, and AARP's fraudwatchnetwork.org provides up-to-date information on the latest tactics used by scammers and offers tips to avoid becoming the victim of fraud.

As New Hampshire faces another week of hot, humid temperatures, its residents also are bracing for a dramatic spike in energy bills.

As a result of the cost tripling for natural gas used to generate electricity, many customers will see their power bills double starting this month. Patrick McDermott, volunteer vice president of AARP New Hampshire's executive council, said it's going to make it harder on everyone's pocketbooks, especially those with fixed incomes or who are age 50 or older.

"Unfortunately, it piles on everything else that's going on, with inflation and costs that are going up for food," he said. "It's going to be very difficult for many people who are already having problems keeping up with their costs and buying the things that they need."

McDermott encouraged people to take advantage of the many rate and program options that can help them save, including budget billing and deferred payment plans through local utility companies. Applying for Critical Care or Chronic Condition Status can help customers with certain medical conditions keep their power on if they can't afford to pay. New Hampshire Energy Relief Programs also provide relief to qualifying ratepayers.

McDermott added that increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption also can help households better manage rising costs.

"The cheapest kilowatt-hour is the one that isn't used," he said. "So turn lights off, turn off unnecessary appliances, take shorter showers, wash laundry in cold water - things that are pretty much common sense, but it's good to remind people."

Weatherization measures such as caulking doors and windows, installing weatherstripping, and getting checkups for cooling and heating systems can help control a home's inside temperature. The New Hampshire Weatherization Assistance Program can help low-income residents with some of those improvements.