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

2.  HUD Office of Housing Counseling (OHC)
 Our Goals
 Impact of Housing Counseling
 Authority
 OHC: Who Are We?
 OHC Offices
 Program Oversight and Administration
 FY2013 NOFA
 Questions
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 2

3. OHC Goals
• 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 Update
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4. Trends in Housing Counseling
Activity
Office of Housing Counseling Update
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5. Trends in Housing Counseling
Funding
• In February and March 2012, the National Housing Resource
Center conducted an informal survey of housing counseling
agencies to determine the extent of recent funding reductions
and their impact on counseling services.
• 85% of respondents had experienced reductions in funding
compared to previous years. Only 3% reported increases in
funding.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
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6. Impact on Agencies
• Respondents were aware of 46 agencies that
shut down due to cuts.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
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7. FY12 Housing Counseling Activity
• Despite lower funding and staffing levels, the need for housing
counseling services remains high.
• HUD-approved HCAs have served more than 1.2 million
households through the first three quarters of FY 12.
• Nearly 80% of clients received one-on-one counseling services.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
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8.  The OHC is an opportunity to improve the
effectiveness, efficiency, scale and impact of
housing counseling
 The Dodd-Frank Act required HUD to establish a
new Office of Housing Counseling (OHC)
 The OHC came into being on October 1, 2012
 Sarah Gerecke appointed Acting Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Office of Housing Counseling
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 8

9.  Dodd-Frank also prescribed changes for the Housing
Counseling Program:
 Create an Advisory Committee to provide
strategic planning and policy guidance
 Certify housing counselors through written
examination
 Examine standards for Program Approval, Materials,
Training, Testing and Counselor Certifications
 Streamlining the grant application process
 Certify software systems for consumers to compare
mortgage products to individual financial situations
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 9

10. Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary
Sarah Gerecke Sarah.S.Gerecke@hud.gov
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary
VACANT
Office of Policy and Grant Administration Office of Outreach and Capacity Building Office of Oversight & Accountability
Director Office Director Office Director
Brian Siebenlist Brian.N.Siebenlist@hud.gov VACANT Cheryl Appline Cheryl.W.Appline@hud.gov
Deputy Director Deputy Director Deputy Director
Kristin Johnsen Kristin.Johnsen@hud.gov Jerrold Mayer Jerrold.H.Mayer@hud.gov VACANT
.
Division Division
Director Director
Emelda Kennerly Emelda.J.Kennerly@hud.gov Phyllis Ford Phyllis.Ford@hud.gov
67 staff in 30 locations Deputy Director Deputy Director
Lorraine Griscavage-Frisbee Carolyn Hogans E.Carolyn.Hogans@hud.gov
from Alaska to Florida lorraine.griscavagefrisbee@hud.gov
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 10

11. Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the OHC
 The mission of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) is to provide leadership
and vision to the OHC, to help consumers assess their financial situation and achieve their
housing goals.
 The DAS’s Office provides advice to leadership and management of the Department as it
relates to legislation, regulation, policy development and grant administration, budget,
training and technical assistance, program evaluation and oversight.
 The DAS’s office sets the strategic direction for HUD’s OHC.
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
addressing stakeholder concerns.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 11

12. 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 work with housing counselors to help prepare them for HUD
certification.
 Will connect with counselors to listen to their concerns, answer
questions, and discuss new HUD policies and initiatives.
 Will assemble an Advisory Committee mandated by Dodd-Frank
legislation.
 Will provide technical assistance to HUD counseling agencies as
needed and requested.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 12

13. 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 provide training in all aspects of housing counseling and analyze the
compliance and effectiveness of HUD-approved agencies and counselors.
 Will gather data and prepare reports on the activities and outcomes of
housing counseling agencies.
 Will administer contract and certification programs of the Office of
Housing Counseling.
 Will assist in developing policy and regulations for the OHC; and
recommend/implement sanctions for noncompliance of such regulations.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 13

14. • Distribute grants quickly, while reducing unnecessary
paperwork.
• Strengthen relations and communication between HUD and
housing counseling network, in order to achieve broader
community impact.
• Ensure quality counseling while streamlining review process.
• Fix HUD program requirements and provide training on new
program policy.
• Conduct research analysis on the impact of housing counseling.
• Report long term impact of housing counseling on consumers
and neighborhoods.
• Explore incorporating housing counseling into more public and
private rental and mortgage programs.
• Increase the financial viability of housing counseling.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 14

15. • Newly Assigned Points of Contact (POC)
• Counselor Certification
• Encourage HFAs, regional and local coalitions to
consider options of bonding as Intermediary networks
• Encourage LHCAs to seek funds through an
Intermediary network
• Increase remote monitoring
• Approve agencies for up to a three year period based
on several factors
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 15

16. • Please check for the announcement at:
www.grants.gov
QUESTIONS?
Office of Housing Counseling Update
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17. Office of Housing Counseling web page:
www.hud.gov/housingcounseling
Questions or comments - housing.counseling@hud.gov
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 17