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Housing
Consumer Education Center
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Home Smart: A resource for buying and maintaining your home.
Consumer
Alert: Do's
& Don'ts of Mortgage Transactions
As
part of the Massachusetts Non-Profit
Housing Association network of regional housing agencies, CTI
operates a Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) for Northern
Middlesex and Essex Counties. The mission of the HCEC is to provide
information that helps consumers make informed decisions about their
housing situation. The Housing Consumer Education Center is a resource
for tenants,
landlords, and homeowners and provides information and referrals
about housing related issues. CTI's HCEC staff provide expertise
in housing search, emergency housing assistance, advocacy, counseling,
and education programs. The HCEC offers a variety of programs that
address critical housing needs. Visit masshousinginfo.org
for information about the statewide network of Housing Consumer
Education Centers.
First-Time
Homebuyer Classes
Steps to Homeownership is a four-session first-time homebuyer
seminar offered in Methuen, Chelmsford, and Salem Massachusetts.
Graduates of this seminar receive a certificate that makes them
eligible to apply for MHFA low-interest loans, the CTI soft-second
loan program, and down-payment assistance from cities throughout
the State. Our course structure and materials are approved by MHFA,
Fannie Mae and have received the Seal of Approval from the Massachusetts
Homeownership Collaborative and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership
Fund. Each 4-session course is held one night a week. Registration
fee is $45 per family and participants earn a certificate good for
one year upon completion of all 4 sessions. For more information
about our First-Time Homebuyer Classes, call Cathy
Dyl at (978) 459-0551, Ext. 296 or download a Schedule
for our 2008 Seminars.
Homes for Good Program
The
Homes for Good Program is an initiative of the
Massachusetts Nonprofit Housing Association (MNPHA). Through
a contract with the Massachusetts
Department of Housing and Community Development, the Association
and its members monitor the sales of properties that were developed
using resources from the Commonwealth. The goal of the Homes for
Good Program is to ensure that the homes are kept affordable and
available to moderate income, first-time homebuyers. CTI's HCEC
is pleased to participate in the Homes for Good Program. For more
information, contact Avi Glaser
at (978) 654-4200. or visit the Homes for Good web site at www.homesforgood.org.
Foreclosure
Prevention Counseling
This program operates under the guidance of the National
Consumer Law Center. Homeowners who have fallen behind on their
mortgage obligations 60 days or more are sent letters by the investor
or bank and are given the option of seeking the aid of this program.
CTI covers North Middlesex and Essex Counties. The goal is to educate
borrowers and provide complete financial and budget counseling for
referred clients. This counseling may include the submission of
loan workout packages to the investor, Freddie Mac, and to banks
that are members of the Massachusetts Banking Association. Through
mediation and negotiation the project benefits the homeowner by
providing a better range of options to prevent foreclosure, the
community by avoiding displacement and abandonment, and the mortgage
holder through loan modifications and repayment agreements. For
more information about Foreclosure Prevention Counseling contact
Shirley Buckjune or call (978) 459-0551, Ext. 336
Fair
Housing
Housing discrimination for any reason is unlawful and violates everyone's
civil rights. It is also prohibited by the federal Fair Housing
Act. Unfortunately, many people who experience discrimination do
not understand their rights or how to go about filing a complaint.
They may not even know they've been a victim of discrimination,
except for a feeling that "something was not quite right"
about the way they were treated. CTI's HCEC works with the Fair
Housing Center of Greater Boston to provide Fair Housing Education
to help increase awareness to discriminatory practices weather intentional
or unintentional and promotes equal housing opportunities for individuals
and families. Other resources about filing a Fair Housing Discrimination
complaint may be found at HUD. For more information about our Fair
Housing Program, contact the HCEC Director at (978) 459-0551, Ext.
331.
Home
Modification for the Disabled
The intent of the Home Mod Program is to modify homes for improved
access to allow people to continue to live independently in their
communities. Based on income eligibility, homeowners and landlords
in Northern Middlesex and Essex Counties may apply for $1,000 up
to $25,000 (inclusive of borrowers fees) in a deferred payment loan
or amortized loan for access modifications to the principle residence
of elders, adults with disabilities and families with disabled children.
. The homeowner hires a contractor of their choice to modify their
home. It is important to note that this program does not
provide reimbursement for modifications completed prior to loan
approval. For more information, download the Home
Modification Informational Brochure or contact Deborah
Mullins, Home Modification Coordinator at (978) 459-0551.
Emergency
Assistance Programs:
RAFT, FEMA and Advocacy
CTI's Housing Consumer Education Center is also the hub
for emergency assistance programs such as RAFT, Rental Assistance
for Families in Transition, FEMA, emergency funding provided by
the Federal Emergency Management Association
and Advocacy, where individuals and families turn when they need
things outside of traditional programming. Through the Housing Consumer
Education Center, these emergency programs provide help to families
experiencing temporary financial setbacks. They provide assistance
with rent or security deposits to avoid homelessness, transportation,
moving costs, medical needs, prescription fees, and more. Advocacy
funds are also used to temporarily house families made homeless
through fires or other disasters. For more information about any
of these emergency assistance programs, Call Patty
Puglisi , HCEC Director at (978) 459-0551, Ext. 331.
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