Colorado was given $499,691 on Tuesday by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide counseling in Colorado, which will assist more than 1.4 million families find housing, make better housing choices or keep their homes.
“HUD grants this funding to counseling organizations across the Rocky Mountain Region to support current and prospective homeowners and renters,” said Rick Garcia, HUD Rocky Mountain regional director, “so that they have the information and education to make choices to address their housing needs in light of their financial situations, which will enable them to enjoy responsible home ownership.”
Colorado will distribute HUD’s grant money to community-based organizations that assist low- and moderate-income families to improve their housing conditions, according to a HUD news release.
These organizations will address families’ housing counseling needs, including helping homebuyers decide if they are ready to purchase a home, understand financing and down payment options and navigate the home-buying process, which can be confusing and difficult, according to the release. The organizations also assist in finding affordable rental housing and assist families or individuals with credit problems.
HUD awarded more than $42 million in housing counseling grants to 31 national and regional organizations, five multistate organizations, 17 State Housing Finance Agencies and 181 local housing counseling agencies. HUD is giving $2 million to four national organizations for training housing counselors who will receive certification to assist families with housing needs.
Based on recent research conducted by HUD, counseling improves housing outcomes for homebuyers, homeowners and renters. The grant awards were announced Tuesday at a White House gathering to mark National Homeownership month. This year’s theme is “Dare to Own the Dream,” which represents the long-held belief that owning a home is one of the cornerstones of the American Dream, the release said.
