October 13, 2005

Statewide Housing Tour Makes Stop In Norwalk On October 13

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. - The State Conference NAACP's Statewide Housing Tour will make its second stop in Norwalk.

The tour is designed to educate prospective homebuyers on various aspects of homeownership, as well as to determine the needs of the African American community with regards to home-buying and homeownership.

The Norwalk tour stop will take place Thursday, October 13 at Norwalk Community College, 188 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT in the Pepsi Auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m. The event, sponsored by Fannie Mae, will include presentations from Northeast Utilities, People's Bank and other financial institutions. Among the topics discussed will be predatory lending, financial literacy, credit repair and funding resources. New Haven NAACP Branch President Scot X. Esdaile will host the tour;members from the Bridgeport and Stamford branches also will participate.

"There are many opportunities with regard to homeownership right now, and we want to ensure that people of color are in the position to take advantage of those opportunities, not be taken advantage of," State Conference President Scot X. Esdaile said.

"People's Bank is excited to be a part of the NAACP's Housing Tour," said Valencia Taft-Jackson, People's Bank manager, Affordable Lending. "Consumers should be educated about all aspects of the homeownership process, and People's is proud to play a role in this."

The tour will include a panel discussion and confidential survey. Panelists will include: Hakeem Webb, Chair of the NAACP Homeownership Tour;and a representative from the Housing Development Fund of Stamford, CT

The survey will assist the State Conference in assessing the financial services needs of the community and appropriately advocate for fair and equal access to financial products and capital

Founded in 1842, People's Bank (peoples.com) is one of Connecticut's largest banks with assets of $11 billion, more than 240 ATMs and 154 branches, 68 of which offer convenient seven-day banking in Super Stop & Shop locations across the state. A diversified financial services company, People's Bank provides consumer, commercial, insurance, retail investment and trust services to personal and business banking customers. People's Bank is the official banking partner of the University of Connecticut Division of Athletics. For more information about People's, its products and services, please call 800-772-1090, visit peoples.com or any of People's branches.