Housing And Education Alliance Inc

TO PROVIDE AND SUSTAIN HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SERVICES IN HOMEBUYER EDUCATION, COUNSELING, LENDING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

HEA IS A 501(C)3 HUD CERTIFIED COUNSELING AGENCY FOUNDED IN 2002 TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE BILINGUAL HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. AS AN AFFILIATE OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA (NCLR) AND A MEMBER OF THEIR NATIONAL HOMEOWNERSHIP NETWORK (NHN), HEA IS ABLE TO BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. HEA CELEBRATES AND EMBRACES THE GIFT AND RICHNESS OF DIVERSITY. EDUCATION & ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING: FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 2002, HEA HAS DELIVERED OVER 500,000 HOURS IN EDUCATION AND ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING TO OVER 49,000 FAMILIES AND/OR INDIVIDUALS ON THE SUBJECT OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND THE HOMEBUYING PROCESS. OUT OF THOSE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 18,000 PURCHASED THEIR FIRST HOME EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT GOVERNMENT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR BUDGET AND CREDIT PROFILES, SHOP FOR AND SECURE A MORTGAGE LOAN AND MAINTAIN THEIR HOME AND FINANCES AFTER THE PURCHASE. THE GOAL OF THIS CLASS IS TO PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS WITH THE TOOLS FOR HOUSEHOLD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING TO ENABLE THEM TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS IN THE HOME PURCHASING PROCESS. SOME OF THE TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE: UNDERSTANDING CREDIT AND READING A CREDIT REPORT, REPAIRING CREDIT, CHOOSING AND WORKING WITH A LENDER AND THE MORTGAGE PROCESS, UNDERSTANDING MORTGAGE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CHOOSING A REALTOR AND SELECTING THE RIGHT HOME FOR YOU, CLOSING DOCUMENTS AND WHAT TO EXPECT AT CLOSING. FORECLOSURE PREVENTION: THE HOUSING & EDUCATION ALLIANCE WAS THE LOCAL PARTNER AT TWO FORECLOSURE WORKSHOPS PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOPE NOW, NEIGHBORWORKS, ALLIANCE FOR STABILIZING OUR COMMUNITIES, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, NATIONAL CAPCD AND BANK OF AMERICA. THE EVENTS PROVIDED NEARLY 5,000 HOMEOWNERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET FACE-TO-FACE WITH THEIR MORTGAGE LENDERS AND LOCAL HOUSING COUNSELORS FROM HUD-APPROVED ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO THEIR MORTGAGE ISSUES. FINANCIAL LITERACY: THE FINANCIAL LITERACY PROJECT WILL EDUCATE YOUNG ADULTS AGES 17-19 AS WELL AS ADULTS ON FINANCIAL MATTERS, BANKING, GOAL SETTING, BUDGETING, AND UNDERSTANDING CREDIT. THE PROJECT WILL ENGAGE THE PARTICIPANTS WITH FUN AND AGE APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM EXERCISES AS WELL AS ONLINE FINANCIAL GAMES THAT WILL HELP THEM DEVELOP GOOD BEHAVIORS AND LIFE SKILLS. THESE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS WILL GIVE THEM A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL ADULTHOOD. THE PARTICIPANTS WILL IDENTIFY GOALS AND REWARDS FOR ATTAINING THE GOALS. THERE WILL BE A COMPONENT TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS IN COMPETITION WITH THE VIDEO GAMES AND WITH REWARDS FOR HIGHEST SCORES PROVING TO THEM THAT BEING "FINANCIALLY FIT" CAN BE FUN AS WELL AS REWARDING. THE PROGRAM WILL DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF BEING "FINANCIALLY FIT". PARTICIPANTS WILL UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT OF SAVING FOR A GOAL INSTEAD OF USING CREDIT WHICH CAN BE COSTLY. PARTICIPANTS WILL UNDERSTAND HOW TO PREPARE FOR CREDIT, HOW TO PRACTICE GOOD CREDIT BEHAVIORS BY DEVELOPING TRUST THROUGH RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. PROJECT WILL HELP PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP SMART SPENDING HABITS AND RESPONSIBLE CREDIT CARD USE. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INSPIRED WITH THE REWARDS OF SAVING, INVESTING WISELY AND BUILDING WEALTH AS WELL AS BE GIVEN WARNING SIGNS OF PREDATORY PRACTICES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM.