SHAWNEE — The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has launched a lease purchasing program to help members get into homes of their own.

“We want to prepare them for home ownership,” said Scott George, director of the CPN Housing Department. “For many tribal members, a low credit score or few monetary resources to put a down payment on a home keep people from owning a home.”

The lease purchasing program is neither simply a fast track to buying a home nor does it guarantee homeownership. The program seeks to help clients maneuver common roadblocks to home ownership and equip them with skills for long-term success.

“There needs to be some transition time and support, which is why the lease purchase program was created,” George said. “We want to educate and help families get into their first home.”