Mr. Pérez is the Secretary-Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM). HACM’s five family housing developments, 500 units of scattered site housing for families and 14 high-rise developments are home to 12,000 low and moderate income families, elderly and disabled. HACM also manages 5,200 Housing Choice Vouchers and 1,000 units of market-rate housing.

Considered a high performer by HUD,  HACM has racked up an impressive list of achievements. The authority has received five HOPE VI grants and completed the nation’s first HOPE VI development. It is home to the first assisted elderly living community in public housing and has been a finalist in the National Innovations in American Government Awards. Its Parklawn Housing Development is home to Central City Cyberschool, a City of Milwaukee charter school that uses the latest technology based pedagogical curriculum. Most recently,  Milwaukee was informed it had reached the finals of the World Leadership Awards. 

Mr. Perez came to HACM from the Milwaukee Community Service Corps (MCSC), which he founded in 1991 and served as Executive Director. MCSC provides crucial education, life skills and job training for 18-23 year old youths. The social return on its investments include: training more than 900 corps members, performing more than $7.8 million in fee-for-service work, and public works projects valued at $8.7 million dollars. 

Born in Puerto Rico, Mr. Pérez graduated with honors from La Salle Christian Brothers College; he completed his undergraduate work at the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Miami and the University of New Mexico. Following graduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he joined the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Pérez serves as an advisor, advocate and board member for a number of local and national organizations. He is a former president and executive member of the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC,) and was recognized by NASCC in 1996 with its ‘Half-a-Lifetime Achievement Award.’ He serves on the Milwaukee Crime Commission, the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board, and Senator Russell Feingold’s Hispanic Advisory Committee. 

He provides input to the Anne E. Casey Foundation on public policy, the environment, and children in public housing; to Abt Associates on national service and research methodologies; and to the national Fannie Mae Advisory Council on issues affecting low- and moderate-income home buyers, renters, and community development. 

Featured in a September 1996 PBS special “The Merrow Report: Searching for Heroes”, he was invited the same year by the Peace Corps to serve as a special consultant to Latin America on environmental and youth service issues. He represented the City of Milwaukee in the Presidential Summit of Service and has advised the local community foundations in the development of a youth-driven community service fund.