About WAVE

Who We Serve

WAVE is an approved Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and an approved HUD Housing Counseling Agency that serves low to moderate income (LMI) families.

Our long-term, holistic education program with wrap around supportive services address:

Home Ownership
Eviction/Foreclosure
Homelessness Prevention
Financial Stability
Restoration of Hope
Post Traumatic Stress

WAVE’s commitment to poverty reduction and financial empowerment goes beyond the word "commitment.”

Advocacy

It is critical to understand how housing can impact the fabric of a community. WAVE views our role as an advocate for support.

We have observed that individuals who understand their rights as tenants tend to be more successful in obtaining good outcomes from conversations with landlords. We provide a bridge between the two parties, in order to ensure that both sides have their needs met.

We have experienced instances when we had to approach the Landlord/Property Manager to educate them on the “Rights of a Resident.” More importantly, we have worked to help property managers learn that it is not possible to promote lease enforcement without respecting the humanity of each tenant.

Helping landlords expand their perspectives and better understand residents’ viewpoints has been difficult, but has offered a great opportunity for growth. We have created a trusted relationship on both sides of the “Landlord/Tenant” relationship and act as a liaison between the resident and the landlord.

The WAVE Story

Charlise Smith knows first-hand how trauma can affect a person. As a young child, Charlise’s mother, Willissae, was brutally murdered.

As an adult, Charlise found herself once again the victim of severe trauma. On October 23, 2012, as a Housing Regional Manager, Charlise was stabbed five times by a severely distraught tenant who suffered from mental health issues while being evicted. Although her physical wounds healed, Charlise had to face the emotional wounds stemming back from her childhood. She knew there had to be a path to help her move from traumatized fear toward a successful, progressive life.

Charlise accepted the WAVE of hope God sent her, which led her back to serving the people and the communities who needed her most. She founded the organization Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE), named in honor of her mother.

Mission and Vision

Our Mission

We create housing and economic stability for at-risk individuals in low-income communities through personal empowerment, skill set development, problem solving and wealth building.

Our Vision

At WAVE, we envision a future where individuals impacted by trauma reclaim their lives with dignity and strength. As a PHFA/HUD Certified Agency, we are committed to transforming lives by fostering resilience and well-being through targeted counseling and education. Our goal is to empower each person we serve, guiding them towards a healthier, more fulfilling future, anchored in personal growth and sustained recovery.

Our Approach

Meet Our Team

Charlise Smith

Executive Director

Charlise Smith is the Founding Executive Director of Willissae’s Agency For Vision and Empowerment, WAVE. Named after her mother, Charlise made the decision to dedicate the agency, its purpose and mission to support the people and communities that had the greatest emotional, physical and financial need.

Charlise is a strong, successful, compassionate businesswoman. She has been in the real estate industry for 15 years and is a real estate broker of record in the State of Pennsylvania. Never one to stop learning, Charlise received her Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) Designation, Certified Tax Credit Compliance Professional (C3P) Designation, and Public Housing Management Certification. Charlise holds an Associate Degree in Computer Science.