Counseling Programs

Clients interested in credit counseling may attend workshops and meet with counselors on an individual basis. The counselors at Homes In Partnership (HIP) contact creditors on behalf of clients to eliminate incorrect information from their credit reports. The counselors also assist clients in negotiating debt settlements. Tips on avoiding predatory lending are strongly emphasized in credit counseling and home buyer education classes.

Each home buyer receives a series of pre-purchase and post-purchase counseling classes, in addition to attending workshops during construction. HIP’s counseling classes meet local government guidelines for certifying homebuyers for down payment assistance through SHIP, CDBG and other assistance programs. Workshops are provided in both English and Spanish. Bilingual staff members are available for interpretation when needed. Group workers are also on staff to assist each buyer with gathering the information necessary to package their loan application. HIP’s Loan Manager reviews each loan application prior to submission to the lending agencies. The counseling program also qualifies applicants interested in participating in mutual self-help housing to obtain subsidized mortgage loans.

HIP’s counseling program and counseling staff have been certified by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HIP has received annual grants from HUD since 1996 supporting the counseling program. HIP staff members have volunteered their counseling services to Nation Bank’s Homebuyer Educational Workshops and have provided seminars and programs to Lake County and Sumter Affordable Housing Program.

Spreading the word about our program and recruiting families that would benefit from our services is an ongoing project for our staff. Outreach counselors gather information about the surrounding area and let us know about the communities’ interests and resources so that we can better help them meet their housing goals.

With the very generous donations of Fannie Mae Foundation and Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation we have been able to purchase a beautiful RV. This RV has been transformed into a "mobile office" which allows us to provide counseling and information services to communities located in remote rural areas.

Some of the services offered by HIP are summarized below:

• Credit Repair.
• Pre-purchase Education
• Predatory Lending Avoidance
• Post-purchase Counseling
• Foreclosure Diversion
• Outreach