TAMPA, Fla. — As the nation celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, Tampa native Sylvia Alvarez is being recognized for her lasting impact on housing equity and financial education across the region.
Alvarez is the CEO and founder of the Housing & Education Alliance, Inc. (HEA) — a nonprofit that has helped thousands of families navigate the complex path to homeownership.
“I love what I do. I change people’s lives. I make dreams come true,” Alvarez said.
What You Need To Know
Tampa native Sylvia Alvarez is being recognized for her lasting impact on housing equity and financial education across the region
Alvarez is the CEO and founder of the Housing & Education Alliance, Inc. (HEA) — a nonprofit that has helped thousands of families navigate the complex path to homeownership
During the 2008 housing crash, Alvarez and her team worked tirelessly to keep families in their homes — even while losing their own
The Housing & Education Alliance offers free HUD-certified housing courses in both English and Spanish
Her inspiration began at home. Alvarez was just a child when her parents, who emigrated from Cuba, bought their first house in Tampa. That experience, she says, shaped her passion for helping others find stability through homeownership.
“Coming from Cuba, if you owned your home, that was something. But to own a home in America — that was really an achievement,” she said.
Sylvia Alvarez (right) stands in front of the first home her parents purchased in Tampa after leaving Cuba. (Sylvia Alvarez)
Under her leadership, the Housing & Education Alliance has helped families access more than $160 million in down payment assistance and avoid predatory loans through HUD-certified homebuyer classes.
During the 2008 housing crash, Alvarez and her team worked tirelessly to keep families in their homes — even while losing their own.
“We saved 14,000 Tampa Bay area homes from foreclosure,” Alvarez recalled. “We took solace in that.”
Her office walls tell the story of her impact — awards from UnidosUS, PBS/WEDU, and the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among others, honor her leadership and community service.
Through her work, Alvarez continues to inspire future homeowners — especially within the Hispanic community — to build generational wealth and stability.
“Every breath that I take is going to be helping people achieve that dream,” Alvarez said.
The Housing & Education Alliance offers free HUD-certified housing courses in both English and Spanish. More information can be found at www.heausa.org.