HUD awards nearly $40 million in housing counseling grants

Funding will provide HUD-approved housing counseling for millions of Americans

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Monday awarded nearly $40 million in housing counseling grants to help over 1 million individuals and families access HUD-approved housing counseling to help them avoid foreclosure and make more informed homebuying and rental choices.

The grants will directly support the housing counseling services provided by 204 HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies, national and regional organizations, and state housing finance agencies (SHFAs). Recipients of these grants competed through the department's two-year (fiscal years 2019 and 2020) comprehensive housing counseling grant program notice of funding availability (NOFA) published May 24, 2019.

“HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are on the front lines of helping individuals and families struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said. “These housing counselors help individuals and families in need to get mortgage payment relief assistance now, and to take the steps necessary to save their homes in the future.”

“Far too many renters and homeowners here in the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis saw their income negatively impacted by the pandemic and should seek guidance from a HUD-approved housing counselor in order to ensure they remain safely in their homes” said Lynne Patton, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “Housing counselors can provide assistance on everything from how to potentially negotiate a payment plan with a landlord to avoiding foreclosure during these difficult times.”

HUD-approved housing counseling agencies provide services to address a full range of housing counseling needs. This includes assisting homebuyers in evaluating their readiness for a home purchase and navigating through the homebuying process. Nearly half of the state and local counseling agencies that were awarded HUD grants received preference because they will provide counseling to individuals and families within designated Opportunity Zones.

“Today’s funding reinforces HUD’s commitment to the important role counseling plays in helping families make responsible choices to address their housing needs,” said Acting Federal Housing Commissioner Len Wolfson. “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, HUD-approved counselors are there to assist millions of homeowners and renters nationwide and help them keep a roof over their heads.”

HUD-approved housing counseling agencies also help households find affordable rental housing, offer financial literacy training to individuals and families, and provide foreclosure prevention counseling. 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 reverse mortgage makes sense for them.

In fiscal year 2019, HUD-approved housing counseling agencies served 1,015,911 households. Approximately 52% of those households were minorities, including 38% African American and 10% identified as multiple races. Additionally, 19% of households served were Hispanic.

There are many ways to locate a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. Visit HUD's website or call 800-569-4287 for an interactive telephone directory. 

The following is an agency breakdown of the funding announced on Monday: 

New York