OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES NEARLY $73 MILLION IN COUNSELING GRANTS TO HELP FAMILIES FIND AND KEEP HOUSING
HUD funding critical to support more than 500 counseling agencies nationwide

WASHINGTON - In an effort to help families find decent housing and to prevent future foreclosures, the Obama Administration today announced nearly $73 million in housing counseling grants to more than 500 national, regional
and local organizations. As a result of the funding announced today, hundreds of thousands of households will
have a greater opportunity to find housing or keep the homes they have because of the housing counseling and counseling training grants awarded today by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.

The grants announced today represent a $13 million, or 22 percent increase over last year's funding level. In announcing the grant awards, Donovan said HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are a critical part of the nation's housing recovery.

"These organizations are on the front lines of helping families who are desperate to remain in their homes," said Donovan. "Now, more than ever, it's crucial that we support these agencies that are working with struggling
families on a one-to-one basis to manage their money, navigate the homebuying process, and secure their financial futures."

Housing counseling grants will assist families in becoming first-time homeowners and remaining homeowners after
their purchase. HUD-approved counseling agencies not only provide homeownership counseling, but also offer
financial literacy training to renters and homeless individuals and families.

"Now, more than ever, it is crucial that Americans better understand how to manage their money, navigate the homebuying process, and secure their financial future." said Donovan. "This critical funding will help counseling organizations continue to assist families in making more informed choices before they purchase a home and counsel families facing foreclosure." 

Nearly $68 million will support the direct provision of housing counseling services by 24 national and regional organizations, 5 multi-state organizations, and 484 state and local housing counseling agencies. In addition, HUD
is awarding more than $5 million to three national organizations to train approximately 4,500 counselors who will receive the instruction and certification necessary to effectively assist families with their housing needs.

National and regional agencies distribute much of HUD's housing counseling grant funding to community-based grassroots organizations that provide advice and guidance to low- and moderate-income families seeking to improve their housing conditions. In addition, these larger organizations help improve the quality of housing counseling
services and enhance coordination among other counseling providers.

Counseling agencies will use $9.5 million to help assist senior citizens seeking reverse mortgages or Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM). These agencies will provide counseling for the rapidly growing number of elderly homeowners who seek to convert equity in their homes into income that can be used to pay for home
improvements, medical costs, and other living expenses.

The organizations that provide housing counseling services help people become or remain homeowners or find rental housing, and assist homeless persons in finding the transitional housing they need to move toward a permanent
place to live. Grant recipients also help homebuyers and homeowners realistically evaluate their readiness for a
home purchase, understand their financing and downpayment options, and navigate what can be an extremely confusing and difficult process.

In addition, grantees help combat predatory lending by helping unwary borrowers review their loan documentation, and avoid potential mortgage scams, unreasonably high interest rates, inflated appraisals, unaffordable repayment terms, and other conditions that can result in a loss of equity, increased debt, default, and even foreclosure. Likewise, foreclosure prevention counseling helps homeowners facing delinquency or default employ strategies, including expense reduction, negotiation with lenders and loan servicers, and loss mitigation, to avoid foreclosure. With foreclosures at critical levels nationwide, these services are more important than ever.

HUD awards annual grants under the housing counseling program through a competitive process. Organizations that apply for grants must be HUD-approved and are subject to performance reviews to maintain their HUD-approved status.

For a list of all grants, organized by state, visit HUD's website.
For summary of each grant, organized by state, visit HUD's website.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

VIRGINIA

Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC)
Accomack, VA
$46,798.97 - Comprehensive Counseling
A-NPDC was established pursuant to Section 51.2-4201 of the Code of Virginia in 1970 by Accomack County and Northampton County. The staff of the A-NPDC administers the following programs with significant housing counseling components: Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Homeless Intervention Program (HIP), Virginia CDBG Projects,
Indoor Plumbing/Rehabilitation Program (IP/R), Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA), NeighborWorks Homeownership Program and Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalizing Communities (SPARC).

Bay Family Housing, Division of Bay Aging
Saluda, VA
$40,899.48 - Comprehensive Counseling
Bay Family Housing has been providing comprehensive housing ocunseling services to over 150 clients since 2006.
Bay Family Housing offers group, individual, and personalized financial literacy counseling, pre-purchase housing counseling, homebuyer's education classes, access to mortgage funds, and help locating down payment and closing cost assistance to assist renters to become homeowners. For homeowners we offer foreclosure loss/mitigation assistance and home maintenance counseling. Bay Family Housing also administers a number of state funded
programs such as Indoor Plumbing Rehabilitation Program, Emergency Home Repair, Weatherization, and Urgent
Need (disaster related programs).

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA)
Alexandria, VA
$1,366,955 - Comprehensive Counseling
CCUSA is the national office for the Catholic Charities network of 164 main agencies and over 1600 branches and affiliate institutions nationwide. Catholic Charities agencies and institutions nationwide provide vital social services
to people in need, regardless of their religious, social, or economic backgrounds. CCUSA provides leadership and support to enhance the work of local agencies in their efforts to reduce poverty, support families and empower communities. In 2007, CCUSA launched its multi-tiered Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America, the goal of which
is to reduce poverty in the U.S. by 50% by the year 2020. With its focus on the growth of human capital, housing counseling has been identified as one of the key elements of this asset building strategy.

ClearPoint Financial Solutions, Inc.
Richmond, VA
$1,082,433 - Comprehensive Counseling
$889,655 - Reverse Mortgage Counseling
Clear Point Financial Solutions is committed to helping individuals and families take control of their finances and build
a better future. Established in 1979, ClearPoint Financial Solutions has decades of experience providing innovative solutions and education services addressing their clients‟ unique financial circumstances. Budget and credit counseling, and housing counseling and education are all core services.

Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Hampton, VA
$43,357.60 - Comprehensive Counseling
Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, was created under House Bill No. 324 on January 27, 1958, by the General Assembly of Virginia. The Authority is the designated housing agency of Hampton and is responsible for managing and maintaining public housing units, administering the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program, and redeveloping blighted areas in the City of Hampton. Over the years, the Authority has expanded housing opportunities in Hampton. Currently, the Authority: develops commercial, residential and multi-family properties; manages and maintains commercial and residential properties; provides
linkages to educational, employment, and business opportunities for our residents and clients; provides
opportunities for homeownership and programs aimed at enhancing the quality of family life; HRHA currently serves about 7,362 clients.

Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME)
Richmond, VA
$44,340.85 - Comprehensive Counseling
HOME is one of the nation's oldest and most well-respected fair housing and housing counseling organizations.
HOME works to protect existing housing choices through fair housing education and enforcement; to expand housing choices through the creation of systemic change so that everyone has access to neighborhoods with good schools and good jobs; and to provide people with the skills and knowledge they need to take advantage of new housing opportunities. The organization will help homeowners in default avoid foreclosure and challenge predatory lending practices; provide pre and post-purchase counseling and down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers; help renters improve their ability to find and keep the housing of their choice through focused tenant education.

Lynchburg Community Action Group, Inc. (Lyn-CAG)
Lynchburg, VA
$39,916.24 - Comprehensive Counseling
Lyn-CAG is a private, nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Chartered by the Code of Virginia
in December 1965, Lyn-CAG has been committed to helping low-income families and individuals move toward self-sufficiency for forty-five years. Lyn-CAG operates by the legislative authority of the Virginia Community Action Act
of 1982. While Lyn-CAG is officially recognized and assisted by all levels of government, it is completely governed
and its courses of action dictated by the citizens of the local communities that benefit from Lyn-CAG's diverse services. Located in Central Virginia, Lyn-CAG serves 2,200 square miles including the cities of Lynchburg and
Bedford along with the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell. The Lynchburg Community Action Group policy-making Board of Directors consists of representatives from its client population, affected governing bodies and community service organizations. During the past forty-five years, Lyn-CAG has successfully
administered programs and projects funded by federal, state and local agencies. Lyn-CAG has provided housing services to low-income residents of Central Virginia since 1973. Lyn-CAG has also provided stable and growing
housing counseling programs and services since 1985

Newport News Office of Human Affairs (OHA)
Newport News, VA
$38,932.99 - Comprehensive Counseling
OHA is a 501(c)(3) community action agency established in 1965 to address the social service and community development needs of low-income residents. OHA has over 40 years experience assisting low-income individuals
and families by fulfilling its mission to "plan, develop and implement programs that foster self-sufficiency through educational, social, physical and economic development." Some Housing Counseling activities performed are: assistance with housing selection, generalized Fair Housing Laws, predatory lending strategies, qualifying for HUD
and other Federal, State and Local subsidies, predatory lending marketing, budgeting for mortgage or rent
payments, money management, how to avoid predatory lending practices, housing care and maintenance,
conducting VHDA 1st Home Education Ownership Seminars, application to purchase procedures, alternatives and options for financing the purchase, HUD and other affordable rental programs including rent subsidy, arranging reinstatement plans, alternatives to foreclosure, mortgage rate reduction program, home equity conversion
mortgage program/reverse mortgage counseling, renter's and landlord's rights, deposits and their use or recovery
and eviction procedures, and preventing mortgage delinquency and default.

New River Community Action, Inc. (NRCA)
Radford, VA
$44,340.85 - Comprehensive Counseling
NRCA is a nonprofit charitable corporation that was established in 1965. NRCA's mission is to promote and support
the well-being and self-reliance of individuals, families and communities. NRCA develops programs that address
issues of housing, health, education, employment, emergency assistance, and other areas known to be related to poverty.

People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia
Abingdon, VA
$35,491.62 - Comprehensive Counseling
People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia has an established history of providing quality services to low-income people to assist them in improving their lives, their families and their communities. Since its inception in 1964,
People Incorporated has grown to serve both rural and urban people throughout five jurisdictions in Virginia
including Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Washington Counties and the City of Bristol.

Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA)
Charlottesville, VA
$42,865.98 - Comprehensive Counseling
PHA is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1983 to address affordable housing and other community development needs on a regional basis that creates housing and community development opportunity for very-low
to moderate-income families and individuals.

Prince William County Virginia Cooperative Extension
Manassas, VA
$43,849.23 - Comprehensive Counseling
$20,000.00 - Reverse Mortgage Counseling
$27,882.00 - Mortgage Modfication and Mortgage Scams Assistance
Virginia Cooperative Extension is an "extension" of Virginia Tech and Virginia State Universities. Located in Prince William County Virginia, our Financial Education Program provides education and counseling to help families and individuals help themselves develop a goal-oriented strategy for managing personal finances and securing stable housing. In addition to one-on-one counseling and education, we offer free seminars and workshops on Homeownership, Responsible Renting, and most any personal finance related topic.

Quin Rivers, Inc.
New Kent, VA
$43,849.23 - Comprehensive Counseling
$10,000.00 - Reverse Mortgage Counseling
Established in 1970, Quin Rivers is a nonprofit corporation with the mission of strengthening individual, family, and community development. Quin Rivers' vision is to facilitate the development and provision of services for citizens of low income and low wealth to create "healthy" families and communities. Quin Rivers uses housing as a base around which to organize services and the supports necessary to help clients become financially self-reliant.

Skyline Community Action Program, Incorporated
Standardsville, VA
$44,340.85 - Comprehensive Counseling
Skyline CAP is the designated community action agency for Green, Madison and Orange Counties in Virginia. The agency has offered housing counseling and assistance to residents since 1994. Skyline CAP's counseling program is designed to assist low-income residents with information and resources to maintain and reach the most fundamental goal of safe and affordable housing. The program offers outreach and counseling to first-time homebuyers, renters, the homeless and homeowners. Counseling includes homeownership and rental assistance programs, HECM, fair housing assistance and information, money management and financial education, emergency assistance to reinstate utilities, rent delinquency or mortgage default and homebuyer education workshops.

Total Action Against Poverty In Roanoke Valley (TAP)
Roanoke, VA
$41,882.73 - Comprehensive Counseling
TAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation formed in 1965 as the official anti-poverty community action agency for Virginia's Fifth Planning District in southwestern Virginia. TAP serves low-income, children, adults, families, and neighborhoods through over 30 programs structured under five components: Head Start, This Valley Works,
Financial Services, Housing and Community Development, and Families-in-Transition.

Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation (VBCDC)
Virginia Beach, VA
$46,307.35 - Comprehensive Counseling
The VBCDC is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit corporation. It was created in November of 1985. The VBCDC was
created to provide affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate-income families within the City of Virginia Beach. The nonprofit also works in concert with the City Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation in revitalizing neighborhoods. VBCDC offers a wide variety of resident services to families and individuals that
participate in the Transitional Housing Program. The goal of this program is to assist the families in becoming independent and self-sufficient. The VBCDC staff work each participant in improving income, finding permanent housing, rental housing and improving life skills that will enable them to achieve more in life. VBCDC also offers free and confidential Foreclosure Prevention and Loss Mitigation Counseling to homeowners in financial distress.

Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA)
Richmond, VA
$250,500.00 - Comprehensive Counseling
VHDA is a self-supporting, not-for-profit organization created by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1972 to help Virginians attain quality, affordable housing. VHDA provides free homeownership classes in addition to providing assistance to people with disabilities and the elderly with the goal of making their homes more livable. VHDA works with lenders, developers, local governments, community service organizations and others to help put quality housing within the reach of every Virginian. Since its founding, VHDA has committed financing for more than 131,000 single family homes and 96,000 multi-family apartments ensuring an ongoing inventory of affordable housing for low and moderate-income households, underserved minority populations, people with disabilities and the frail elderly which supports strong, viable communities.

Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH)
Richmond, VA
$40,899.48 - Comprehensive Counseling
Founded in 1988, VSH provides permanent housing and comprehensive support services to individuals and families
who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or with disabilities in order to initiate and promote their transition from homelessness to productivity and independence. VSH's goal is to reduce homelessness by helping people break the cycle of homelessness and secure permanent housing and economic stability. To fulfill its mission, VSH has
developed, owns and operates 264 units of supportive housing for homeless and disabled individuals and families in metro Richmond and in the South Hampton Roads area of Virginia. VSH provides support services in all of its housing to ensure that residents remain stably housed and become self sufficient. Support services include but are not
limited to case management, life skills training, budget counseling, employment counseling, and mental health
support services. VSH also operates a housing first program, a Shelter Plus Care program and a Housing Resource Center with a housing locater data base for affordable rental housing and housing specialists that act as brokers
with area landlords. VSH also offers asset building opportunities and provides financial literacy, homebuyer
education and credit and debt management counseling for low to moderate-income individuals and families with children through the Financial Foundations program.