Presentation to the Housing Assistance Council

December , 2012

Presented by: Sarah Gerecke, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Housing Counseling

Office of Housing /Federal Housing Administration

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 1

AGENDA HUD Office of Housing Counseling

Our Goals

Impact of Housing Counseling

Authority

New Office of Housing Counseling Structure

InitiativesOffice of Housing Counseling

UpdateNovember 28, 2012 Slide 2

April 12, 2023Slide 2

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• To help consumers assess their financial situation and achieve their housing goals.

• To increase public awareness of HUD’s housing counseling programs.

• To increase the knowledge and capacity of HUD’s housing counseling network.

• To improve the impact of housing counseling on consumers and neighborhoods nationwide.

Office of Housing Counseling Goals

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 3

April 12, 2023Slide 3

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Program Impact

**Fiscal Year 2012 through June

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 4

April 12, 2023Slide 4

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Challenges for Housing Counseling Agencies Serving

Rural Areas• Economic conditions – unemployment• Smaller rental housing stock• Generally fewer community and social service

resources• Communication – Internet access, translation

services• Transportation/distance/geography• Less CRA-driven funding for housing counseling

Authority to EstablishThe HUD Office of Housing

CounselingDodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required HUD to establish an Office of Housing Counseling - Launched October 1, 2012The Act prescribed changes for the Housing Counseling Program:

Streamlining all aspects of the program, including the grant application process

Certify housing counselors through written examination Create an Advisory Committee to provide strategic planning and

policy guidance Implement standards for Program Approval, Materials, Training,

Testing and Counselor Certifications Certify software systems for consumers to compare mortgage

products to individual financial situations

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 6

April 12, 2023Slide 6

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OHC Organizational Chart

Office of Policy and Grant AdministrationDirector Brian Siebenlist Brian.N.Siebenlist@hud.govDeputy Director Kristin Johnson Kristen.Johnson@hud.gov

Office of Outreach and Capacity BuildingOffice Director VACANTDeputy Director Jerrold Mayer Jerrold.H.Mayer@hud.gov

Office of Oversight & AccountabilityOffice Director Cheryl Appline Cheryl.W.Appline@hud.govDeputy Director VACANT

Division Director Emelda Kennerly Emelda.J.Kennerly@hud.govDeputy Director Lorraine Griscavage-Frisbee Lorraine.GriscavageFrisbee@hud.gov

DivisionDirector Phyllis Ford Phyllis.H.Ford@hud.govDeputy Director Carolyn Hogans E.Carolyn.Hogans@hud.gov

Office of the Deputy Assistant SecretaryActing Deputy Assistant Secretary Sarah Gerecke Sarah.S.Gerecke@hud.govAssociate Deputy Assistant Secretary VACANT

67 staff in 30 locationsfrom Alaska to Florida

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 7

April 12, 2023Slide 7

Offices Within the Office of Housing Counseling

Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary The mission of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) is to provide leadership

and vision, to help consumers assess their financial situation and achieve their housing goals.

Office of Policy and Grant Administration The mission of the Office of Policy and Grant Administration is to create a stronger, more

sustainable framework and infrastructure for HUD’s Housing Counseling Programs. Responsible for: Housing Counseling Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) administration;

developing regulations; measuring and reporting housing counseling impact, and research.

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 8

April 12, 2023Slide 8

Office of Outreach and Capacity Building Mission is to train and certify housing counselors and increase public

awareness of HUD’s housing counseling programs.

Will assemble an Advisory Committee mandated by Dodd-Frank legislation.

Will provide technical assistance to HUD counseling agencies as needed and requested.

Will analyze the compliance and effectiveness of HUD-approved agencies and counselors, and will provide training to agencies as needed.

Offices Within the Office of Housing Counseling, Continued

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 9

April 12, 2023Slide 9

Office of Oversight and Accountability Mission is to ensure quality and effective counseling services through

monitoring and certification of HUD-approved agencies and counselors.

Will gather data and prepare reports on the activities and outcomes of housing counseling agencies.

Will assist in developing policy and regulations for the OHC and recommend/implement sanctions for noncompliance of such regulations.

Offices Within the Office of Housing Counseling,

Continued

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 10

April 12, 2023Slide 10

• Distribute grants quickly, while reducing unnecessary paperwork.• Strengthen relations and communication between HUD and

housing counseling network, in order to achieve bigger community impact.

• Ensure quality counseling while streamlining review process.• Approve agencies up to a three year period based on several

factors.• Report long term impact of housing counseling on consumers

and neighborhoods.• Support state and local governments and networks expanding

housing counseling programs.• Increase visibility of housing counseling within and outside HUD.

Office of Housing Counseling Program Initiatives

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 11

April 12, 2023Slide 11

• Newly Assigned Points of Contact (POC)• Counselor Certification • Build capacity of housing counseling agencies by

supporting intermediaries, housing finance agencies, and regional and local coalitions to provide oversight, technical assistance, and efficiencies of scale in grantmaking and reporting.

• Encourage local housing counseling agencies to affiliate with intermediaries and HFAs in order to realize these benefits and prepare for future program changes.

• Increase remote monitoring

Office of Housing Counseling Program Initiatives, Continued

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 12

April 12, 2023Slide 12

Office of Housing Counseling Webpage:www.hud.gov/housingcounseling

FY2013 Notice of Funding Availability:Please check for the announcement at: www.grants.gov

Questions or comments: housing.counseling@hud.gov

Resources

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 13

April 12, 2023Slide 13

Contacts

Sarah Gerecke, Deputy Assistant Secretary Sarah.S.Gerecke@hud.gov

Brian Siebenlist, Office of Policy and Grant Administration – Brian.N.Siebenlist@hud.gov

Cheryl Appline, Office of Oversight and Accountability Cheryl.W.Appline@hud.gov

Jerry Mayer, Office of Outreach and Capacity Building – Jerrold.H.Mayer@hud.gov

Office of Housing Counseling Update

November 28, 2012 Slide 14

April 12, 2023Slide 14