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 / Executive Director

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.

Emily Huval

Emily Huval has lived in Acadiana most of her adult life, but she was raised in Pineville, Louisiana. She came down here in 1994 to pursue a bachelors degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has a BA and an MS in Communication.

Emily met Kevin while they both worked at Coldwell Banker. Eventually, she became his assistant a few years later before transitioning to solely doing housing counseling work. She is now a HUD-certified housing counselor and has been helping people buy their first homes or save their homes from foreclosure since 2015. She is also an instructor for First Time Home Buyer Education Workshops.

She currently owns her own home which she shares with her husband, her daughter, two stinky dogs and one rotten cat.

Michael Jude Lavergne-Gonzales

Michael, a native of Lafayette’s Northside, is passionate about serving disadvantaged and underprivileged communities. He graduated from Lafayette High School and pursued studies in Cajun and Creole History and Francophone Studies at LSU and UL. Since January 2022, Michael has been a Housing Counselor for Lafayette Consolidated Government, earning his HUD certification in October 2022. His work focuses on helping clients improve their credit, manage budgets, and prepare for first-time homeownership, as well as offering financial strengthening and foreclosure prevention counseling.

He is very active with his Community of the Camino Neocatecumenal at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Carencro, which is walking distance from his house. He also served as an itinerant missionary in both Colorado and throughout New England. Michael describes his time as a missionary as the happiest time of his life.

His travels have taken him to destinations including Germany, Australia, Brazil, Israel, and Portugal, as well as across the United States. These experiences have enriched his perspective and strengthened his commitment to helping others.

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.