Under the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been committed to broadening affordable avenues to homeownership for millions of families, particularly families of color and those from disadvantaged communities, HUD stated in a press release.
As one of those options, HUD sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country to provide free or low-cost advice on issues such as buying a first home, renting, and avoiding foreclosure.
Recently, HUD has provided new funds, flexibilities, and tools to expand housing counseling options to ensure families have access to the quality, affordable homes they deserve.
“Every day, hundreds of families use our free or low-cost housing counseling options to navigate crucial housing decisions like starting the homebuying process, avoiding foreclosure, and finding affordable rental options,” HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said in the release. “Under this administration, we have made incredible enhancements to invest in these programs, ensure they reach as many families as possible, and expand affordable opportunities for homeownership. Together, we will build accessible roads to this key tenant of the American Dream.”
On Oct. 16, HUD appointed 11 key leaders to its Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee, helping shape the direction of its Housing Counseling Program and providing guidance on how to better serve prospective buyers, homeowners, and renters with their housing needs. This is just one of several recent announcements made to improve and expand housing counseling options:
In September, HUD awarded $48 million to increase access to housing counseling services and strengthen the nation’s housing counseling workforce. These awards will advance these ongoing efforts at more than 160 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, state housing finance agencies, educational institutions, and national, regional, multi-state, and non-profit organizations.
Earlier in September, as part of the ongoing “Let’s Make Home the Goal” campaign, HUD launched a new partnership with Zillow to raise awareness of pre-purchase housing counseling designed to reach communities of color and break down systemic barriers to homeownership.
HUD also modernized a rule which will allow HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to use virtual methods to broaden access and reach even more people seeking assistance.
Earlier this year, HUD updated the Housing Counseling Program Handbook, which is now available in multiple languages to support the diverse communities HUD serves.