A nonprofit housing developer that has helped thousands of families in Wisconsin achieve their goal of homeownership by becoming homeowners, is getting a boost in the form of a NMTC-funded loan from Forward Community Investments, Inc.

On June18, 2026, Forward Community Investments, Inc. deployed $8 million in New Markets Tax Credits to Acts Homeownership Acquisitions, Inc. with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC) serving as the NMTC investor and Smith NMTC Associates, LLC facilitating the closing to maximize the project’s community benefits, provide the recapture guaranty, and guide Acts through the 7-year compliance and impact reporting period. At closing, USBCDC syndicated the investment to USB NMTC FUND 2026-3, LLC.

Acts Homeownership Acquisitions, Inc. (Acts Homes), an affiliate organization of Acts Housing, will be acquiring 42 properties in distressed neighborhoods of Milwaukee and Rock Counties to rehab and sell as high-quality affordable homeownership opportunities.

Increasing Homeownership in Areas of Deep Distress

With a $7.84 million NMTC-funded loan (QLICI), Acts Homes is able to overcome market gaps and increase its scope of work to develop high-quality homes that can be sold affordably to low-income homebuyers in areas considered to be in deep distress.

Of the 42 properties that will be developed into homeownership opportunities by Acts Homes with the support of NMTCs, 23 are located in “deep distress” census tracts and 19 are in “severe distress” census tracts. These locations have poverty rates as high as 63.30%, AMIs as low as 23.17%, and unemployment rates as much as 3.24 times the national average.

Milwaukee County is the most populous county in Wisconsin and the 53rd largest in the United States and the economic driver of the State of Wisconsin; but despite this economic success, the county’s homeownership rates are chronically lower (49.5%) compared to the state of Wisconsin (66.9%). This trend has been driven by predatory investor-owners who are buying large swaths of single-family and duplex homes and turning them into permanent (and often poorly maintained) rentals. Acts Homes has a mission to reverse this trend, unlocking inventory for low-to-middle-income families and stabilizing neighborhoods.

Acts Housing maintains a strong pipeline of well-qualified homebuyers, which is a testament to the strength of their programming and community engagement. Acts Housing will leverage its high-touch homebuyer coaching programs and the increased availability of affordable inventory through Acts Homes to ensure that families with low- to-moderate-incomes and other barriers to homeownership not only have access to financial education and capital, but that they also have access to affordable starter homes.

Homeownership is Economic Development

Homeownership plays a key role in the investment and stability of neighborhoods. By transitioning homes from rentals to owner-occupancy, Acts Homes is increasing the opportunities for those neighborhoods to thrive with homeowners playing a key role in revitalizing their neighborhoods, advocating for increased access to public transportation, opening small businesses, and fostering community.

Home equity is the largest asset households can leverage to start businesses, invest in training or higher education, and prepare for financial emergencies. In addition to these positive outcomes, quality affordable housing is necessary for workforce development and contributes toward better health and education outcomes, especially for children.