Housing Counseling

Housing Counseling Can Help

You don't have to go through the foreclosure prevention process alone. A counselor with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency can assess your situation, answer your questions, go over your options, prioritize your debts, and help you prepare for discussions with your lender.

These counseling organizations are approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide information and counseling in many areas of home buying and homeownership. Counselors may also be aware of regional or local foreclosure “rescue” funds and aid for temporary hardship.

To find a local HUD-approved housing counseling agency, check HUD's online directory or call 800-569-4287 (TTY: 800-877-8339).

Many HUD-certified housing counselors are also non-profit credit counseling services. In addition to foreclosure prevention assistance, they can help analyze your finances, including bills and debt payments and may be able to enroll you in an agency-administered debt management plan that could reduce your monthly payments to other creditors. As long as the borrowers have not defaulted, credit counseling and a debt management plan may help them get back on track.

Housing and credit counseling services are usually free or low cost.

This brochure was created by Consumer Action’s Housing Information Project. © 2007 Consumer Action. Rights Reserved.