“From homelessness to home ownership, that’s my story,” says Christina Patterson, Acts Housing’s first Beloit homeowner. “I set out to prove I can do this… I can do a lot of things I didn’t know how to do.”

At the Hendricks Family Foundation, we know every person has within themselves the ability to do great things, to embrace taking a risk in the effort to solve a problem, transform their life, and strengthen their family. We are proud to partner with Acts Housing as they come along-side Christina, and many others in the Beloit community, to help them achieve their dream of homeownership.

Acts Housing’s unique service model is based on the belief homeownership is possible for anyone that’s willing to work for it. Their team consists of a financial counselor, real estate agent and home rehab counselor, who work with the family to:

• Support them in becoming mortgage-ready through coaching, financial education and counseling;
• Find and purchase affordable, sustainable homes right for their family’s needs and financial position;
• Access purchase and rehab loans for families who have been locked out of the traditional mortgage market or are purchasing distressed homes;
• Create homes that are safe and code compliant, pouring sweat equity into their new home when needed; and
• Ensure family occupancy in the home, generally within 90 days of purchase.

Anyone interested in starting the program can take the first step by participating in Acts Housing’s virtual orientation https://actshousing.org/virtual-orientation/

Acts Housing is focused on building homeownership in two key neighborhoods in Beloit, the Merrill and Hackett neighborhoods, where homeownership rates are less than 45% (12% lower than the City of Beloit overall) and median incomes in both neighborhoods are less than $31,000 annually per household. The 5+ year Acts Housing initiative aims to create game-changing, positive family and neighborhood impacts that result in lowered housing costs for families, stabilized neighborhoods and empowered and engaged community members. Ultimately, Acts Housing anticipates development of 150 new homeowners in Beloit.

Acts Housing received a grant award of nearly $1.2 million from the Hendricks Family Foundation to be used over 5+ years. The initiative addressed a key priority for the Foundation – developing the community of Beloit. The project’s design is a proposed innovation based upon replication of an existing program model Acts Housing currently employs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.