“Next thing you know, I was on the waiting list. Then I went from number two to number one. Then I end up getting it (enrolled in HORT) and I was so happy. That was the best day of my life!” – Homeownership Reparative Transfer Recipient
Since its founding, Reparation Generation has sought to support the broader Reparations movement with impactful and replicable reparative models that help build momentum for a federal Reparations program. Reparation Generation is focused on both financially and emotionally reparative acts that drive healing and repair. The third iteration of our Home Ownership Reparative Transfer program, launched in late 2025, is the culmination of years of efforts to this end.
Throughout history, homeownership has served as a crucial driver of intergenerational wealth, yet slavery and systemic racism have often denied Black American families the same opportunities to own homes and secure their futures. Reparation Generation’s HORT program, piloted in Metro Detroit, distributed $300,000 in partial compensatory repair in the form of $25,000 reparative transfers toward homebuying between 2022 and 2025. With HORT 3.0, Reparation Generation has set an even more impactful goal of distributing 40 reparative transfers to families by January 2027.
In addition to taking action on historic and economic racial injustice, this model encourages participants to seek emotional repair and healing through the giving and receiving of reparative transfers. This purposeful focus on both tangible and intangible repair and comprehensive evaluation has made our small organization visible in the greater Reparations movement, and supports the scalability and success of our Home Ownership Reparative Transfer (HORT) program.
“Every part of the process was exciting. I mean, you know, how many people can say that they’re finding out about their genealogy, their lineage, as well as receiving $25,000 to help purchase a home?” – Homeownership Reparative Transfer Recipient
From the beginning, evaluation has been a key component of Reparation Generation’s work. Our goal of demonstrating that reparative acts can be healing, wealth-building, and mutually beneficial to recipients and contributors depends on repeatable, evidence-based data. The HORT 1.0 and 2.0 programs showed a positive impact on participants overall, both financially and in the context of repair. In recent surveys, 100% of participants reported experiencing reparative aspects of our program.
”I definitely feel [pride and fulfillment]. Not just me, but all of my family and friends. It’s like a ripple. All my family and friends are so proud of me, with this house. Like, this is everybody’s house, you know? In a prideful way.” — Homeownership Reparative Transfer Recipient
Reparation Generation’s adjustments to HORT 3.0 were based on the experience and suggestions of HORT 2.0 participants, their homebuyer teams, and program staff and volunteers. This feedback resulted in changes and enhancements at every stage of the program. All potential applicants now attend an online orientation session that outlines the goals of HORT and all its requirements, from home purchase education to choosing their homebuyer team to securing their property purchase agreement. Applicants all complete a personal and financial self-assessment early on to clarify whether a home purchase is aligned with their short- and long-term goals. Applicants also attend a free professional genealogy consultation that verifies their HORT eligibility, often unearthing unknown details about their ancestors and family heritage. HORT 3.0 requires enhanced homebuyer team connections and communications (e.g. group text and email threads) to reduce stress in the homebuying process and ensure the real estate and banking professionals understand the meaning and intentional processes behind HORT.
“I didn’t know there was that much information on buying a home, so it was something new to me. Especially when it was talking about the equity of your home, making your home better for when it’s time to sell. Doing upgrades and stuff like that. I’ve been looking around my house and I could see some upgrades that I can do…you know, making it more valuable.” — Homeownership Reparative Transfer Recipient
Nearly 80 individuals participated in a HORT 3.0 orientation session, where they learned RepGen had funding available for up to eight HORT payments. Ultimately, 11 attendees submitted applications. As of April 2026, Reparation Generation has processed six reparative transfers under HORT 3.0 with the final two withdrawing after requesting and receiving extensions. As just one organization among many in the larger Reparations movement, Reparation Generation hopes to provide $1 million in HORT payments to 40 families in Metro Detroit by January 2027. This achievement would continue demonstrating that reparative programs are possible and move us closer to the perfect union we aspire to be.
RepGen, under its new structure, is now fundraising to complete our HORT 3.0 goal of providing 40 HORT grants by the end of 2026.
You can help us achieve our goal.
