In 2023, Acts Housing commissioned Big Lake Data to evaluate the long-term impact of our homeownership programs in Milwaukee. After expanding the study in 2024 to include financial outcomes and two more years of data, the results are in—and they show just how powerful ownership can be.
Since 1991, more than 4,000 families have become homeowners through Acts Housing. Now, a new study by Big Lake Data confirms what we’ve witnessed firsthand for over three decades: when families own their homes, they build stability, equity, and a stronger future—for themselves and their communities.
According to the report, 69% of Acts families still own the homes they purchased through our program. For those who bought in 2009 or later, that number jumps to an incredible 83%. And while many homeowners in Milwaukee’s hardest-hit neighborhoods experienced waves of foreclosure, Acts families defied the trend. Our alumni have a foreclosure rate of just 1.65 per 1,000 homes—three times lower than the neighborhood average.
What does that look like in real life? It means families who were once renters are now wealth-builders. The typical Acts homeowner holds $72,314 in home equity, with some having gained over $100,000. All told, Acts alumni in Milwaukee County now hold more than $143 million in total equity. That’s generational wealth—created one home at a time.
Homeownership isn’t just about a place to live—it’s about the cost of living, too. In 2024, the median Acts homeowner paid $968 per month, including taxes and insurance. That’s 34% lower than the fair market rent for a similar home in Milwaukee. Families aren’t just saving money—they’re owning their futures.
These numbers aren’t just data points. They represent real people—single moms, first-generation homeowners, families who took a chance and worked hard. And they remind us: when you invest in people, people transform communities.
Want to dive deeper into the data?
The full Big Lake Data report—covering 30+ years of impact, equity gains, and homeowner outcomes—is available here.
- Want to start the homebuying process? Start Here
- Learn more about how you can support Acts here.
