ILWU Member Grateful Her Mortgage Has Her Back
Caitlyn Selby, an ILWU member in Hawaii, works in the tourism industry. Both she and her husband found themselves temporarily unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic and were especially grateful for the benefits of a Union Plus mortgage, including mortgage assistance and a surprise sweepstakes win.
Caitlyn Selby and her husband picked up and left the East Coast nine years ago and headed to Hawaii on a whim, where they both got jobs at resorts on Maui. After renting for several years, the couple decided to buy a place. Selby, a member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) said she looked into the Union Plus Mortgage Program after hearing about it from some of her coworkers.
"They said it was a great program, a great option and how amazing and simple it was for them while applying for a mortgage," Selby remembered.
With financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, the Union Plus Mortgage Program helps union members and their parents and children purchase or refinance their homes while also offering exclusive union member benefits.
Selby said that though it was stressful to purchase a home, the Wells Fargo loan officer helped them throughout the lending process.
"It's our first home, it’s a lot of money, and it’s a big decision," Selby recalled thinking. "We had so many questions. They were extremely knowledgeable, and they never made us think that the questions we asked were unnecessary."
The couple also liked the security behind the Union Plus Mortgage Program, which includes hardship assistance. The Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program provides interest-free loans and grants to eligible union members to help them make their mortgage payments in the event they become disabled, unemployed, locked out, or go on strike1.
"It's a safety net if anything were to happen with your job, they really have your back," Selby said.
Both Selby and her husband are temporarily unemployed due to the impact COVID-19 is having on the tourism industry in Hawaii.
"We never thought we’d be here," Selby said. "It's nice to know in these scenarios you’re not alone – that the union wants to support."
To learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage Program, visit unionplus.org/mortgage.
1The Union Plus® Mortgage Assistance Program and Veteran’s Grant are provided and administered through the AFL-CIO Mutual Benefit Plan (“The Plan”), which is not affiliated with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Additional information about this program and eligibility criteria can be obtained at unionplus.org/assistance.
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