Contact:
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2156
Governor Jim Doyle announced today a grant of $100,000 to La
Casa de Esperanza, a not-for-profit organization in Waukesha. The grant from
the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will help La Casa
de Esperanza in expanding local financial literacy and homebuyer education
programs, including efforts to inform residents of good credit practices and
the dangers of predatory lending.
“Stable communities are built upon home ownership,” Governor
Doyle said. “This grant will enable La Casa to educate community residents
on good financial housekeeping and the path to owning their own homes.”
WHEDA Executive Director Antonio Riley will present the
grant check to La Casa at the organization’s annual meeting in Waukesha
tonight.
“Poor credit practices and predatory lending can steer
people off the path of homeownership,” Governor Doyle said. “Predatory
lending is a problem nationally and statewide, especially in the Milwaukee
area. By giving people the information to make good financial choices and
become homeowners, both local communities and the state benefit.”
La Casa de Esperanza is a multi-service agency whose mission
involves providing for members of the Waukesha community to achieve full
social and economic participation in society, with emphasis on the Hispanic
population. La Casa offers affordable housing, homebuyer education,
small-business development and job training efforts, and community service
facilities such as day care.
In the past two years, similar WHEDA housing and education
grants have gone to other Hispanic-based organizations in Wisconsin
including $100,000 to United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) of
Milwaukee, $100,000 to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, and
$75,000 to Milwaukee’s United Community Center.
WHEDA is an independent state authority that works with
lenders to provide low-cost financing for housing and small business
development in Wisconsin. The grant is allocated out of WHEDA earnings, not
tax dollars.
