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.

My Home America   A Division of Housing & Education Alliance

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.

My Home America - 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. 

My Home America / 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.

Walter Walker also makes regular appearances on radio and television shows, including National Public Radio and television. He is HEA’s Director of Education and promotes HEA regularly at various housing events, including local real estate boards, government meetings workshops and housing fairs.