Services

Spanish Coalition for Housing’s purpose is to help people become responsible home purchasers and homeowners.  This task is made difficult by the challenges posed from older communities undergoing massive and rapid social change such as disinvestment by lending institutions, deterioration resulting from landlords who cease to maintain properties, abandonment and foreclosure due to lack of proper counseling of property owners, arson, vacant lots and other negative forces.  On the flipside, many Latino populated communities have seen dramatic increasing housing prices.  It is not uncommon for SCH counselors to see house prices in the $350,000 range.  This increase in home prices has created an affordability gap where many families realize their dreams of becoming homeowners.  Last fiscal year, 1077 individuals benefited from various comprehensive homeownership counseling services.

It is not unusual to meet clients for the first time when they are seeking help with foreclosure prevention.  Counselors serve them by isolating the financial causes and helping them create a budget that will lead them to the best course of action.  If the delinquency is caused by being over extended, counselors often refer the client to a credit counseling agency for possible consolidation of their outstanding bills.  After completing a problem analysis and discussion with the mortgagor, the counselor determines whether it is best to create a plan that will allow the client to continue owning the home or one that will shift ownership.  If it is feasible and if the client wishes to preserve ownership, counselors will design a relief measure that is best suited to the circumstances.  This arrangement may include reinstatements or forbearance agreements.  Where there is no hope of the client meeting the arrears payments, counselors advise and assist in pursuing methods of relinquishing the property with the least negative affect on their credit ratings.  These measures include sale of property, assumption of the mortgage or execution of deed-in-lieu (of foreclosure).  Counselors will provide follow-up counseling with the mortgagor until the default is corrected or the mortgagee completes the foreclosure and the client has alternative housing.