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Housing
Consumer Education Center
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Home Smart: A resource for buying and maintaining your home.
As
part of the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts 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 (978) 459-0551, Ext. 296 or download a Schedule of our
next Steps to Homeownership Classes.
Homes for Good Program
The
Homes for Good Program is operated through
a contract with the Massachusetts
Department of Housing and Community Development, and Community Housing, Inc., (CHI) a subsidiary of Community Teamwork, Inc. CHI
monitors 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, call (978) 654-4200. or visit the Homes for Good web site at www.homesforgood.org.
Foreclosure
Prevention Counseling
Community
Teamwork, Inc. (CTI), in partnership with the Coalition
for a Better Acre and several other community-based organizations,
opened the Lowell Office of the Home Preservation
Coalition of the Merrimack Valley (HPC). The HPC provides free
counseling and other services to homeowners facing foreclosure.
If you are worried about your mortgage, act quickly. Don't wait!
Download our Informational Flyer
available in several languages..
The
first step is to call the Home Preservation Center at (978) 970-0600,
Ext. 3. Tell them you live in the Lowell area and would like to
be referred to a local counselor. They will help you through each
step of the way and the help they offer is FREE. The counselors
are experts in foreclosure prevention and trained to set up an action
plan designed just for you and your situation.
Remember,
DON'T WAIT! If you or someone you know is faced with foreclosure
challenges, please call the Home Preservation Center at (978) 970-0600,
Ext. 3 today.
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 $30,000 (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 call the Home Modification Coordinator at (978) 459-0551, Ext.
297.
Emergency
Assistance Programs:
RAFT, Emergency Food and Shelter, and Advocacy
CTI's Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) is a resource
for emergency housing assistance programs such as RAFT, Rental Assistance
for Families in Transition , the Emergency Food and Shelter Program
which is emergency funding provided by the Federal
Emergency Management Association and Advocacy, which is privately
raised funding. Through the (HCEC), 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 the HCEC Director at (978) 459-0551, Ext. 331.
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