First Recipient of the San Diego Black Homebuyers Program Settles into New Home

Tyshawn Cook has big plans for his newly purchased two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in Spring Valley.

“I am in the middle of renovating everything so the whole kitchen is going to get moved and destroyed,” said Cook, as he walked around his new living room.

The 23-year-old is confident in his vision for his new condo. He wants a more modern kitchen and he’s working with his dad to remove the carpet and replace it with new flooring.

As an San Diego State University college student, NAVY reservist, and full-time calibration technician, Cook’s days have long been packed with activities. Now that he’s also a homeowner, he said his daily life has gotten even busier.

“Probably once a week if not once every other week, I am definitely going to Home Depot,” he said. “Now that’s something, honestly, I wasn’t thinking about before.”

Cook was able to buy his condo using the nearly $50,000 grant he received as the first recipient of the San Diego Black Homebuyers Program.

Launched last August with funding and support from the San Diego Foundation Black Community Investment Fund, Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s office, Union Bank, Urban League of San Diego County (San Diego, CA) and LISC, the program aims to help close the region’s staggering racial homeownership gap.

According to a new data tool released by the Urban Institute, only 26.5% percent of Black San Diegans are homeowners, compared to over 50% of white and Asian San Diegans.

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