I would also wish to welcome you all to Nairobi and hope that you will extend your stay to enjoy the varied and scenic delights that Kenya offers. Ladies and Gentlemen: This is indeed a “watershed” meeting that comes after the completion of the first four year mandate of FIRST Initiative.
According to the Census Bureau, homeownership rates have fallen so significantly in recent years that they have more than wiped out the increase in homeownership that had taken place between 2000 and 2007. When I think about this statistic, I see not only the drag on the nation’s already-tepid recovery, but the millions of American families who have lost their homes and their hopes.