BEATRIZ

Beatriz wasn’t always the type of person who wanted to own her own home. For many years, she was happy to have a landlord to handle issues when they came up.  
 
After becoming pregnant with her daughter, her thinking changed. Beatriz began to desire all the things that homeownership can provide—financial stability, safety, and a permanent place for her child to call home. One evening, she confided in her sister about her desire to own her own home. A Community Partnership Manager at UCC’s Ricardo Diaz Early Learning Academy, her sister told her about the Early Childhood Educators Initiative and UCC’s First-time Homebuyers Program. As an Early Childhood Educator for a Milwaukee based Early Childhood Education Center herself, Beatriz couldn’t pass up the opportunity to apply. Once she connected with a homebuyer counselor at UCC, things moved fast. Throughout her pregnancy, Beatriz worked as an Early Childhood Educator while attending classes for school and took steps to build her credit, all with the support of UCC as she prepared to buy her home. 

Beatriz began her journey with UCC in October of 2024, closed on her house the following March, and moved into her first home in mid-April. Now, not only are her mortgage payments significantly less than what she was paying for in rent, she was connected with partners at the Community Development Alliance who helped her with signing a deed restriction agreement to ensure her property taxes will remain affordable for years to come. And even more importantly, she felt secure in having a place of her own where she could raise her daughter. 

For Beatriz and her growing family, their journey with UCC wasn’t over. In August of 2025, they faced devastating flooding to their new home. UCC worked with partners at VIA, who were able to help secure funds and find contractors to assist with damage repair.  

The first year of homeownership has come with many unknowns. For Beatriz, the newfound financial stability, safety, and security that has come along with becoming a first-time homebuyer with UCC, has been worth it every step of the way.