Housing Counseling Resource Program

WHEDA Invests $4.7 Million to Strengthen Housing Counseling and Grow Pathways to Sustainable Homeownership Through 2025-2027 Housing Counseling Resource Program (HCRP)

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) announced that 14 HUD-certified housing counseling agencies will receive $4.7 million in grant funding to expand financial education, pre-purchase homeowner education, and foreclosure prevention counseling services for thousands of Wisconsin families.

“Housing counseling gives people the knowledge they need to navigate the path to homeownership and make informed decisions. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s investment ensures current homeowners and first-time buyers have the support to secure a stable home,” said Elmer Moore Jr., Executive Director and CEO of WHEDA. “Homeownership provides working families with stability and strengthens community connections. This partnership is a game-changer, and we are so very grateful.”

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) created and funded the Housing Counseling Resource Program (HCRP) to expand capacity for housing counseling to serve low- and moderate-income and underrepresented home buyers and existing homeowners. The 2025-2027 HCRP builds on a prior three-year program that awarded $3.5 million in funds to nine HUD-certified agencies throughout Wisconsin, supporting thousands of Wisconsin households in learning important skills and accessing critical resources that set them on a path to owning a home. 

HCRP grantee agencies serve communities across the state, providing in-person and virtual education, counseling, and access to supportive resources that equip residents with the practical tools to:

• Build credit readiness and financial literacy
• Access down payment assistance and affordable mortgage programs
• Understand property taxes and insurance, and gather helpful tips on home maintenance
• Protect homes through foreclosure prevention counseling

“Together with WHEDA, we’re expanding pathways to successful and sustainable homeownership across Wisconsin,” said Katie Naftzger, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHLBank Chicago. “Housing counseling provides families with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions and create stability that lasts.”

“The Housing Counseling Resource Program has helped the United Community Center build capacity to provide critical support and services that have served as a lifeline for first-time buyers trying to enter the housing market,” said Fernando Campos, Director of Neighborhood Development, United Community Center serving Milwaukee and Racine. “In addition to HCRP, with support from Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s Downpayment Plus® Program and our network of participating lenders, nearly two hundred households received the critical $10,000 boost that made homeownership possible. Help they simply could not have secured on their own. In total, 278 families have crossed the threshold into their first home, a milestone that strengthens not only their financial futures but the stability and vitality of the neighborhoods they now call home.”

Wisconsin residents seeking to purchase a home or struggling with their mortgage payments should contact a HCRP grantee to receive assistance today. 

Housing Counseling Resource Program Grantees