About Us

Our program

We support you in achieving the results you’re looking for. Together we will take the next step forward.

We Are Step Up Acadiana

We are a home buyer counseling and education agency. We hold first time home buyer workshops; we counsel clients one-on-one who are ready to buy their first homes as well as those who are at risk of losing their home to foreclosure. Counseling sessions include individualized budgeting, savings planning, credit score improvement, tracking daily spending, etc.

We also counsel post-purchase clients who simply need help getting back on track with their finances or credit. In addition to our homebuyer education and counseling components, we also provide financial literacy programs/workshops for high school students and adults.

Kevin Davis

Founder / CEO

Kevin Davis is a native of New Orleans who evacuated to Lafayette after Hurricane Katrina. He was a realtor and associate broker with Coldwell Banker until 2016 when he began his own real estate company, Sky Universal Realty.

Kevin has always had a passion for working with first-time home buyers. Kevin has always been passionate about educating first time home buyers, so much so that he taught classes through Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Neighborhood Counseling Program, as well as hosting a radio talk show once a week.

In 2015, he developed the Affordable Housing Program for SMILE Community Action Agency which entailed teaching home buyer education classes, pre-purchase counseling and pre-foreclosure counseling. He has since become a HUD-Certified Housing Counselor and has many other housing-related certifications.

In 2016, Kevin founded Step Up Acadiana, a 501(c)3 non-profit housing counseling agency. He is passionate about his non-profit agency, often putting his own resources into the agency. He is a font of knowledge regarding anything mortgage, housing or real-estate related.

Patricia A. Cormier, MBA

VITA Coordinator

I am a retired Business Educator and have enjoyed over 23 years of teaching adults and young people on all educational levels: technical college, community college, university, and high school. For about 9 years, I have participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) as a tax preparer and site coordinator for the northside residents of Lafayette and other surrounding areas. I have been working with community service organizations for the majority of my adult life and I love helping others.

Michael Jude Lavergne-Gonzales

Executive Director

Michael is a proud bi-cultural native of the Northside of Lafayette. He is the youngest of 4 born to a French-Acadien father, and a Mestizo-American mother. He attended Lafayette High School, LSU, and UL-Lafayette where he focused on Cajun and Creole History and Francophone Studies. Michael is proud uncle to 14 nieces and nephews & great-uncle to 3 lovely young great-nieces: Emma, Lily, and Mia. Michael has always felt a call to assist, educate, and serve the disadvantaged and underprivileged. That call to service led him to begin working as a Housing Counselor in January 2022. This vocation has given him the opportunity to assist primarily low- to moderate-income clients by: building, repairing, and maintaining their credit, by setting a workable monthly budget, and by educating and preparing them for homeownership. Michael also imparts crucial foreclosure prevention counseling to at-risk households across south Louisiana.

How Does This Program Work?

Apply to our program

Fill out the intake form for pre-purchase one-on-one counseling as well as pre-foreclosure one-on-one counseling. Once received, you will receive a call to set up an appointment.

What to expect

During our one-on-one counseling sessions, we will talk about your income & expenses, guide you through creating a budget, and forecast your savings plan. If you are not working with someone on your credit or aware of your current credit scores, for a small fee we are able to provide a soft credit pull and give insight on how to improve your scores for loan-readiness.

Experience Your Growth

Our clients receive valuable coaching from industry experts. In addition, our staff are HUD-approved housing counselors and have the experience to assist our clients through their journey to achieve homeownership. Our goal is to bring you to 100% readiness to receive pre-qualification from a loan officer.

Our Achievements

Clients Served

One-on-One
Counseling Sessions

New Homeowners

Homeowners Able to
Avoid Foreclosure

Report Date: Month ##, ####

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When clients ask me 'how long will this take' I tell them: How do you eat an elephant? It's one bite at a time. To conquer anything, you have to start somewhere.