WHITE HOUSE AND HUD HIGHLIGHT EVANSVILLE RESIDENT AS A "CHAMPION OF CHANGE" AND LEADER IN HOUSING COUNSELING

INDIANAPOLIS - On Thursday, March 1st in Los Angeles, California, the White House and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will honor Tehiji Crenshaw of Evansville, Indiana, as one of eleven housing counselors and HUD-approved organizations being recognized as Champions of Change for their hard work, perseverance and dedication to their communities. Tehiji Crenshaw has been selected for outstanding commitment and achievement representative of the collective work of thousands of housing counselors across the United States.

"Housing counselors work tremendously hard, each and every day, to help families realize the American dream," said White House Senior Advisor, Valerie Jarrett. "From helping homeowners avoid foreclosure to making sure tenants understand their rights to working with borrowers to restore their credit, the men and women we honor today truly are Champions of Change."

"Dedicated to serving, housing counselors educate and assist individuals and families navigate the complex process for sustainable homeownership," said Antonio R. Riley, HUD's Midwest Regional Administrator. "Guiding renters and potential homeowners in managing their housing choices, counselors provide critical information on rights and responsibilities, the importance of savings, ways to manage credit and debt responsibly, and how to become a good neighbor."

"We are proud of Tehiji Crenshaw and all of our Indiana housing counselors, they have been serving on the front lines of the battle against foreclosure since the housing crisis began, assisting homeowners and tenants to improve their housing conditions, we owe a debt of gratitude to these skilled, objective and knowledgeable professionals," said John Hall, HUD's Indianapolis Field Office Director.

The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.

Housing counseling assistance was developed over 40 years ago at a time of severe disinvestment in housing, unaffordable interest rates, high unemployment and irresponsible lending practices. Today, HUD approves, monitors and supports counseling organizations and tracks their output. Recent initiatives have extended the number and location of HUD-approved housing counseling organizations and reduced the amount of time and complexity of the process to award HUD housing counseling grants.

To learn more about our Champions and watch video of the event, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

Tehiji Crenshaw is employed with the Community Action Program of Evansville & Vanderburgh County, Inc. (CAPE) as the Director of Housing Programs. She received a Bachelors of Education (1995) from the University of Evansville. She currently holds certifications as a Family Development Specialist, Certified Loss Mitigation/Foreclosure Prevention Counselor, HUD Housing Counselor, Pre and Post Purchase Education Counselor, HOME Program Specialist, Certified Green Professional, Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist, Housing Development Finance Professional and Licensed Lead Paint Project Supervisor, Lead Based Paint Inspector, Risk Assessor and Clearance Examiner.

For over ten years, Tehiji Crenshaw has assisted over 8,500 families with affordable, multifamily rental housing and single family homeownership opportunities, foreclosure prevention, energy efficiency and home rehabilitation needs within twelve counties in the state of Indiana. Ms. Crenshaw also facilitates group counseling sessions as well as individual counseling to families who need assistance in resolving existing credit and budget issues and Foreclosure Prevention Counseling. She conducts Energy Education sessions for potential first time homebuyers and for the general public. Crenshaw currently serves as one of seven Commissioners to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels. She also is a member of the Indiana Civil Rights Educational Steering Committee, Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation Multicultural Committee and a board member of the Evansville Community Redevelopment Partnership, Inc.

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