BUFFALO, N.Y. — A new center meant to educate and counsel neighbors on Buffalo's East Side about financial decisions opened on Thursday.
The Belmont Housing Resources and Northwest Financial Center is on Jefferson Avenue near Dodge Street. The goal is to help renters find housing and help families build financial capabilities and find homes or avoid foreclosure.
"The unbanked rate in Buffalo is double the statewide rate, which means Buffalo neighbors are using their limited finances on fringe and sometimes predatory practices, and there's a high cost of being poor," according to Karen Housenick of Belmont Housing Resources.
"On average, if a family is unbanked, they're paying more than $1,200 in fees than a family that is banked."
Due to current social distancing guidelines, financial education workshops are virtual. Individual sessions can be made by appointment.
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