Awards will support efforts to expand housing services and counseling into underserved communities

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Housing Counseling (OHC) is announcing today that it has awarded more than $14.4 million in housing counseling grant funding to 180 housing counseling organizations. The awards will support the comprehensive housing counseling services provided by grantees to homebuyers, homeowners, and renters, and will help to continue the important work that began in 2021 to reach deeper into underserved communities through partnerships between HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

“Homeownership is the primary way most people in this country build wealth. It has the power to transform not only your life, but the lives of your family members,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Housing counseling services help ensure current and prospective homeowners have all the tools they need to purchase and maintain the homes of their dreams.”

“Partnering with a housing counselor empowers individuals and families with the education and resources they need to make informed decisions regarding their housing needs,” said Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. “These awards help to ensure that households across the country have access to high quality housing counseling services, particularly those for whom systemic barriers and racial inequities have made it difficult to obtain safe and affordable housing.”

“We are pleased to fund these HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that offer vital resources to consumers, including pre-purchase homebuying information, foreclosure and rental eviction prevention, mortgage options for seniors seeking to age-in-place, and disaster recovery counseling,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling David Berenbaum.

In fiscal year 2022, HUD awarded more than $53 million in grants to support the critical services delivered by the nation’s housing counselors. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies provide services to address a full range of housing counseling needs. These services include assisting homebuyers in evaluating their readiness for a home purchase and navigating the home buying process, helping households find affordable rental housing, offering financial literacy training to individuals and families, and providing foreclosure prevention counseling for struggling homeowners. In addition to providing counseling to homeowners and renters, HUD-approved housing counseling agencies support emergency preparedness and disaster recovery efforts, assist homeless persons in finding transitional housing, and help seniors determine whether a HECM or other reverse mortgage makes sense for them.

At the HUD-sponsored Innovative Housing Showcase this past weekend, Secretary Fudge hosted the House Party 2.0, in which panels spoke about resources and opportunities. A DJ with live music welcomed community members to the National Mall to learn about resources, such as housing counseling and fair housing initiatives, and how to access them.

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