TOLLESON, AZ — For 50 years, Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) has helped Arizona families navigate the road to homeownership. Now a new grant is making it possible to help even more.
A $25,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation will fund housing counseling services and education classes for families working toward long-term housing stability in Arizona and Nevada.
CPLC’s certified housing counselors work out of centers in Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas. They help renters understand their rights, help people build budgets, guide first-time buyers through the process, and work with homeowners who are struggling to make mortgage payments.
“Some people can be ready for homeownership in 3 months, some people it’ll be 3 years, maybe even longer,” said Patricia Garcia Duarte, senior vice president for homeownership and real estate development at CPLC.
Garcia Duarte said the organization is also expanding into support after a home purchase, including estate planning, so families can protect what is often their biggest investment.
A homeowner’s story
Fatima Alshamari says CPLC helped her reach a goal she has had since she was young. Her mother bought her home through CPLC in 2018, and Alshamari later turned to the organization when she was ready to buy her own. She closed on her home in September 2024.
Counselors connected her with a first-time homebuyer program that provided $20,000 toward her closing costs, structured as a second lien that does not add interest to her mortgage. She also took a required first-time homebuyer class.
“It allowed me to get into homeownership earlier than having to save up for that $20,000, so then I can start earning equity,” Alshamari said.
Today she lives in the home with her two rescue dogs, Harley and Spidey. For her, she said, owning a home stands for stability and security.
Rates and readiness
Garcia Duarte said rising prices and mortgage rates are making it harder for some families to qualify, but she encouraged people not to count themselves out. Counselors help people improve their credit, identify down payment assistance and decide whether they can afford a monthly payment.
“The most important thing is when people are ready. We love to say marry the house and date the rate. The rate is something that can be dealt with in the future,” she said.
How the funding works
HUD provides limited funding for housing counseling, Garcia Duarte said, so CPLC relies on financial institution partners like U.S. Bank to keep the programs staffed.
Housing resource event
CPLC will host a housing resource event Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the South Mountain Community College from 10 am to 1 pm.
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