The Dodd-Frank Act brings about significant changes for housing counseling. Panelists will discuss the new counseling requirements and timelines for implementation. We will discuss policy opportunities and engage attendees in a dialogue on where rural housing fits into the current environment. This session will also explore foreclosure challenges and prevention programs that can help distressed low-income homeowners and will take a close look at how the Department of Veterans Affairs can assist rural veterans.

1. Presented by: Sarah Gerecke, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Housing Counseling
Office of Housing Counseling Update
November 28, 2012 Slide 1

2.  HUD Office of Housing Counseling
 Our Goals
 Impact of Housing Counseling
 Authority
 New Office of Housing Counseling Structure
 Initiatives
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 2
Slide 2

3. • 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
December 14, 2012
3
November 28, 2012 Slide 3
Slide 3

4. *
*Fiscal Year 2012
through June
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
4
November 28, 2012 Slide 4
Slide 4

5. Challenges for Housing Counseling
Agencies Serving Rural Areas
• Economic conditions – unemployment
• Smaller rental housing stock
• Generally fewer community and social service
resources
• Communication – Internet access, translation
services
• Transportation/distance/geography
• Less CRA-driven funding for housing counseling
5

6. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
required HUD to establish an Office of Housing Counseling -
Launched October 1, 2012
The Act prescribed changes for the Housing Counseling Program:
 Streamlining all aspects of the program, including the grant
application process
 Certify housing counselors through written examination
 Create an Advisory Committee to provide strategic planning
and policy guidance
 Implement standards for Program
Approval, Materials, Training, Testing and Counselor
Certifications
 Certify software systems for consumers to compare mortgage
products to individual financial situations
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 6
Slide 6

7. 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 Johnson Kristen.Johnson@hud.gov Jerrold Mayer Jerrold.H.Mayer@hud.gov VACANT
.
Division Division
Director Director
Emelda Kennerly Emelda.J.Kennerly@hud.gov Phyllis Ford Phyllis.H.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
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 7
Slide 7

8. Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary
 The mission of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) is to provide leadership
and vision, to help consumers assess their financial situation and achieve their housing
goals.
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
research.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 8
Slide 8

9. 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 assemble an Advisory Committee mandated by Dodd-Frank legislation.
 Will provide technical assistance to HUD counseling agencies as needed and
requested.
 Will analyze the compliance and effectiveness of HUD-approved agencies
and counselors, and will provide training to agencies as needed.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 9
Slide 9

10. 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 gather data and prepare reports on the activities and outcomes of
housing counseling agencies.
 Will assist in developing policy and regulations for the OHC and
recommend/implement sanctions for noncompliance of such regulations.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 10
Slide 10

11. • Distribute grants quickly, while reducing unnecessary
paperwork.
• Strengthen relations and communication between HUD and
housing counseling network, in order to achieve bigger
community impact.
• Ensure quality counseling while streamlining review process.
• Approve agencies up to a three year period based on several
factors.
• Report long term impact of housing counseling on consumers
and neighborhoods.
• Support state and local governments and networks expanding
housing counseling programs.
• Increase visibility of housing counseling within and outside
HUD.
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 11
Slide 11

12. • Newly Assigned Points of Contact (POC)
• Counselor Certification
• Build capacity of housing counseling agencies by
supporting intermediaries, housing finance agencies, and
regional and local coalitions to provide
oversight, technical assistance, and efficiencies of scale in
grantmaking and reporting.
• Encourage local housing counseling agencies to affiliate
with intermediaries and HFAs in order to realize these
benefits and prepare for future program changes.
• Increase remote monitoring
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 12
Slide 12

13. Office of Housing Counseling Webpage:
www.hud.gov/housingcounseling
FY2013 Notice of Funding Availability:
Please check for the announcement at: www.grants.gov
Questions or comments:
housing.counseling@hud.gov
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 13
Slide 13

14. Sarah Gerecke, Deputy Assistant Secretary
Sarah.S.Gerecke@hud.gov
Brian Siebenlist, Office of Policy and Grant Administration –
Brian.N.Siebenlist@hud.gov
Cheryl Appline, Office of Oversight and Accountability
Cheryl.W.Appline@hud.gov
Jerry Mayer, Office of Outreach and Capacity Building –
Jerrold.H.Mayer@hud.gov
Office of Housing Counseling Update
December 14, 2012
November 28, 2012 Slide 14
Slide 14