Funding to Help Meet Increasing Demand for Housing Counseling
Riverside, CA – Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a $3 million federal grant through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program administered by NeighborWorks® America.
Congress created the NFMC Program in 2007 to help families at risk of foreclosure by connecting them to trained housing counselors. Springboard is among 17 HUD-approved housing counseling intermediaries, 37 state housing finance agencies, and 84 community-based NeighborWorks organizations to receive a portion of more than $67 million awarded in the fifth round of funding by NeighborWorks® America to provide counseling to families and individuals facing the threat of foreclosure.
“We’re extremely pleased with this announcement,” said Todd Emerson, Springboard President and CEO. “At a time when so many families are facing lingering unemployment and the inability to keep up with their mortgage payments, this grant award will allow Springboard and our regional sub-grantees to meet an increase in demand for mortgage delinquency and foreclosure prevention counseling,” said Emerson.
As an award recipient, Springboard will receive funding for counseling, counselor training, program support and operational oversight.
“There is no charge to work with a HUD-approved housing counselor, the help is free,” said Emerson. If you have missed any mortgage payments or are about to, you should work with a HUD-approved housing counselor to help you access your circumstances, identify your options and help prepare you to work with your mortgage company.
Additionally, Springboard’s web portal, www.HomeOwnership.org, has become a trusted destination for struggling homeowners who turn to the Internet for information and help to avoid foreclosure. The Internet is one of the leading sources for loan modification and mortgage relief scams that capture vulnerable homeowners. In response, Springboard is committed to ensuring that www.HomeOwnership.org is a top search engine listing and accessible from a variety of social media platforms. Families facing the threat of foreclosure are encouraged to contact Springboard at 800-449-9818 and ask to speak with a HUD-approved housing counselor or visit www.HomeOwnership.org to request counseling.
To date, more than 1,186,000 families in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam have received foreclosure counseling through the NFMC Program. It is estimated that an additional 184,000 families facing the threat of foreclosure will be directly assisted with the recent awards from NeighborWorks® America.
About Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management
SPRINGBOARD® Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit personal financial education and counseling organization founded in 1974. Springboard is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a national organization of nonprofit credit counseling agencies, and a member of the Association of Independent Credit Counseling Agencies. The agency offers personal financial education and assistance with credit counseling, housing counseling, debt and money management through educational programs and confidential counseling. Springboard is accredited by the Council on Accreditation, signifying the highest standards for agency governance, fiscal integrity, counselor certification and service delivery policies. The agency provides pre-bankruptcy counseling and debtor education as mandated by the bankruptcy reform law. The agency offers nationwide phone counseling services and has locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas for in-person counseling sessions. Not all types of counseling are available in-person at all locations, please call for details. For more information on Springboard, call 800-449-9818 or visit their web site at www.credit.org.