Project Sentinel

TO PROVIDE FAIR HOUSING, RENTAL HOUSING COUNSELING, DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND MORTGAGE COUNSELING.

FAIR HOUSING - THE FAIR HOUSING CENTER INVESTIGATED 385 COMPLAINTS OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022. 894 PEOPLE BENEFITED FROM THOSE INVESTIGATIONS, AND THE STAFF PROVIDED INFORMATION, EDUCATION, AND REFERRALS ON 1,296 CALLS. THE ORGANIZATION SETTLED TWO FAIR HOUSING CASES DURING THE YEAR. THE LITIGATED SETTLEMENT AMOUNTS FOR THESE CASES RESULTED IN A RECOVERY OF FEES FOR PROJECT SENTINEL, INC.'S STAFF TIME AND DISPERSED RESOURCES TOTALING $26,966. MANY OTHER FAIR HOUSING CASES WERE RESOLVED WITH A CHANGE IN RENTAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS GRANTED AND EVICTIONS WITHDRAWN. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED 101 FORMAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM TARGETED POPULATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO SERVE THEM WITH FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION, AS WELL AS HOUSING PROVIDERS, AN INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR WHICH HAD BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO DISTRIBUTED 7,913 BROCHURES, HAD MORE THAN 85,459 HITS ON THE WEBSITE, AND MADE 77 POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT FAIR HOUSING MATTERS.

TENANT/LANDLORD MEDIATION SERVICES - STAFF PROVIDED INFORMATION ON RENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO 9,754 TENANTS, OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF RENTAL HOUSING BY WAY OF WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, ONE ON ONE COUNSELING AND PHONE COUNSELING SO THAT INFORMED DECISIONS COULD BE MADE. 986 TENANTS, OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF RENTAL HOUSING ATTENDED WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS. 1,752 CASES WERE OPENED FOR HOUSEHOLDS NEEDING ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE OF EXTENSIVE COUNSELING AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE. PANELS OF VOLUNTEER AND PAID MEDIATORS ALONG WITH SALARIED STAFF RESOLVED RENTAL DISPUTES WITH MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION.

HUD HOUSING COUNSELING - HUD HOUSING COUNSELING PROVIDES NEEDED AND SOMETIMES REQUIRED COUNSELING TO HOMEOWNERS AND FUTURE HOMEOWNERS. MOST FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF EITHER COUNSELING OR AN EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP. OTHER GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ALSO REQUIRE COUNSELING FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS SUCH AS APPLYING FOR A REVERSE MORTGAGE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO USES FUNDS FROM NATIONAL MORTGAGE SETTLEMENT FUNDS ("NMSF"), WHICH IS BEING ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY ("CALHFA"). DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, THE ORGANIZATION ASSISTED 1,310 FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS TO PREPARE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP THROUGH HOMEBUYER EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND AN ADDITIONAL 595 HOUSEHOLDS WITH INDIVIDUAL ONE-ON-ONE PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING. THE ORGANIZATION ASSISTED 114 HOMEOWNERS WITH MORTGAGE DEFAULT AND DELINQUENCY COUNSELING AND INTERVENTION AND REVERSE MORTGAGE COUNSELING WITH 689 HOUSEHOLDS.