Meet Yyokkia Lawson, Master in Community Development Student

From Olivia Gagnon May 10th, 2021

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Yyokkia Lawson has a long history of working in housing and economic development at the community level. Upon returning to her home of Athens, Georgia, several years ago, she became increasingly concerned about the staggering poverty and substandard housing that she witnessed throughout the Southern United States, particularly in rural areas.

“The history of racial discrimination and wealth disparities has made it frequently difficult for residents in rural areas to access basic services and overcome financial barriers,” said Lawson. “Likewise, the general infrastructure problems are hard to conquer due to the scarcity of resources in rural environments.”

In response, she founded the Institute for Housing, Health & Economic Development, Inc., to better connect rural homebuyers to community-based financing. Additionally, she serves as a HUD-certified Housing Counselor and a Certified USDA Loan Packager.

Learn more about Yyokkia at https://carsey.unh.edu/spotlight/underserved-communities

Tags: master in community development

Appears In: The Carsey School of Public Policy

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Meet Yyokkia Lawson, Master in Community Development Student

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