Our Mission: To provide and sustain homeownership opportunities through services in homebuyer education, counseling, lending and development.

Our Vision: Empowering families and individuals to build wealth through homeownership. 

HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION

To further expand on our mission and vision Housing & Education Alliance (HEA) promotes opportunities for economic empowerment for individuals and the community. HEA is committed to working together by each doing our part for the good of the organization and the community. We embrace innovation and entrepreneurship in finding solutions for our client’s issues. We collaborate with residents, businesses, nonprofits and government partners in the development and revitalization of neighborhoods and communities. Housing & Education Alliance actively participates and partners with other non-profit agencies and businesses to bring our services to the local community and workplace. Our outreach efforts include appearing on local radio shows, public service announcements, media releases and workshops. HEA has participated in workshops organized by Congresswomen Cathy Castor, State of Florida CFO Alex Sink, Senator Mel Martinez, Congressman Bilirakis and various local community centers. These workshops were presented throughout Florida's West Coast including Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee and Hernando counties. We have a strong commitment to serving low and moderate income minority individuals and families.

Today, HEA provides complete housing services to residents throughout Central Florida who want to purchase a home or who are seeking foreclosure prevention services. The staff of HEA has over 100 years of combined experience in the fields of real estate, mortgages, counseling, economic development and business.

HEA has delivered more than 360,000 hours of education and one-on-one counseling to over 18,000 families and/or individuals on the subject of financial literacy and the homebuying process. Out of those served, approximately 1,800 purchased their first home either with or without government downpayment assistance.  From 2006 through 2009 HEA has served over 6,000 residents of Central Florida.

PARTNERS/OUTREACH/AWARDS:

The staff also contributes to the private industry sector by participating in workshops or speaking at industry events.  In February 2009, Sylvia Alvarez, HEA's Executive Director was the keynote speaker at Fannie Mae's Women's History Conference in Washington, D.C.  Together Sylvia Alvarez and Walter Walker, HEA's Director of Education co-authored a book entitled "The American Nightmare - Strategies for Preventing, Surviving and Overcoming Foreclosure."  The book was endorsed by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and funded in part by Freddie Mac.  The book was translated into Spanish and was used by housing counselors and families facing foreclosure.  The book was released at the start of the foreclosure crisis when very little information was available to help the consumer understand the foreclosure process, their options and the consequences of their actions.  The book was well received and Sylvia and Walter were the featured guests at NeighborWorks Authors Luncheon in Atlanta in 2009.

In July 2004, our outstanding services were recognized when two of our staff members received awards at the Tampa Housing Authority's Housing Heroes Awards ceremony. HEA also received the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg's 2005 Community Service Award and the 2005 Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Non-Profit of the year Award. In 2007 HEA received NeighborWorks America's “Innovations in Homeownership Strategies Award” for its “My Home America” Housing Expo 2006. HEA has been featured in several public affairs television programs in both Spanish and English as well as in several Spanish radio shows and Spanish newspaper articles.