Wisconsin non-profit providing free homebuyer education, counseling, and mortgage assistance to low- and moderate-income families across seven counties since 1991.
Editorially reviewed by Harvey Brooks
Housing Resources, Inc. (HRI) was founded in 1991 in Milwaukee to address the homeownership gap for low- and moderate-income families in Wisconsin. The organization has spent over 30 years building expertise in housing counseling, financial empowerment, and homeownership education across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties. As a non-profit, HRI operates without profit motive, focusing entirely on community stabilization and neighborhood improvement through expanded homeownership.
HRI offers comprehensive services for both prospective and current homeowners. For home buyers, they provide free educational workshops, one-on-one pre-purchase counseling with experienced specialists, credit report services, and assistance applying for down payment and closing cost grants (including programs like Downpayment Plus®, Milwaukee Home Down Payment Program, and Chase Homebuyer Grants). For existing homeowners, HRI offers post-purchase counseling, default/foreclosure counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, a tool loan program, minor home repair assistance, and mortgage assistance through county and municipal programs to prevent foreclosure.
HRI distinguishes itself through its deep local integration and specialized expertise. They operate the Racine Financial Empowerment Center and partner with established entities like Wintrust and Chase. Their one-on-one counseling covers the entire homebuying journey—from credit assessment and budgeting to loan closing—demonstrating thorough, individualized support rather than generic guidance. They explicitly serve low- and moderate-income families and provide services free or at minimal cost, removing financial barriers to housing education.
The primary limitation is geographic scope: HRI serves only seven Wisconsin counties, making it inaccessible to consumers outside this region. While their website lists extensive services, specific details about eligibility requirements, wait times, and availability are limited. The organization's reliance on grant programs means assistance depends on external funding and may have annual caps or competitive qualification criteria not fully detailed online.
Yes. Housing Resources, Incorporated is a registered company headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. They hold a NR rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Counseling available within 1-2 weeks of contact.
CreditDoc Diagnosis
Housing Resources, Inc. is best for low- and moderate-income homebuyers in seven Wisconsin counties seeking free, comprehensive education and grant assistance to purchase their first home, as well as existing homeowners needing foreclosure prevention support. The main caveat is geographic limitation—the organization only serves Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties, making it inaccessible to consumers outside Wisconsin.
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