New American Funding Expands Housing Advocate Certification Program to Empower Real Estate Professionals and Advance Black Homeownership

New American Funding (NAF), a leading independent mortgage lender, is expanding its Housing Advocate Certification (HAC) program to real estate professionals nationwide.

Originally developed and launched internally through its NAF Black Impact initiative, the HAC program has already trained more than 1,000 NAF employees. Now, the company is inviting external real estate agents and brokerages to join the effort to promote equity and education in the Black community.

The HAC program provides strategic, equity-focused training with the latest industry developments, tailored marketing materials to attract a diverse clientele, and professional development opportunities to connect with leaders and engage in projects that support community stability. It also helps participants understand the history and barriers to Black homeownership, fostering cultural awareness and trust-based relationships.

The program’s public debut will take place during a live webinar on June 4, 2025, at 10:00AM PT. Real estate professionals can join the interest list to receive access to the Zoom session and learn more about participating.

This launch comes at a critical time, as efforts to narrow the racial wealth gap continue. The Black community’s buying power is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2026 and more than 1.7 million Black Millennials are currently mortgage-ready, which offers real estate professionals ample opportunities to advance Black homeownership through the HAC program.

“This program is for real estate professionals who want to get closer to the communities they serve — not to just check a DEI box,” said Mosi Gatling, SVP of Strategic Growth and Expansion. “The goal is to modernize fair housing from the street level and to change how we think about access, advocacy, and opportunity in real estate.”

The June 4 webinar is the first in a series of events NAF will host in 2025 to provide real estate professionals with education and certification rooted in advocacy and inclusion. For more information or to register for the webinar, visit nafblackimpact.com/certified.