HUD awards Aurora over $42,000 in Housing Counseling Grant

The city of Aurora is set to receive $42,724 as part of the nearly $618,000 in Colorado housing counseling grants announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HUD-approved counseling agencies such as Aurora’s Community Development Division, which manages the Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP), will use the money to assist families by offering down payment and closing cost financial assistance, as well as comprehensive housing counseling services including pre-purchase, foreclosure prevention, reverse mortgage and rental counseling. 

“The HOAP program is recognized as one of the best in the country and the HUD counseling grant provides the opportunity to continue offering quality services to Aurora residents,”  said Joseph Garcia, manager of the Community Development Division. “In addition to HOAP counseling services, Community Development offers programs that include the First Time Homebuyer, foreclosure counseling, Reverse Equity Counseling, various housing rehabilitation programs, Public Facility programs, and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.”

The HOAP program, created in 1984, is dedicated to making affordable housing a reality for low- to moderate-income families in Aurora.  The program conducts monthly, large group seminars for first-time homebuyers in both Spanish and English.  Counselors conduct the seminars to help potential buyers understand terminology, credit reports, fair housing, and how to work with realtors, lenders, inspectors, insurance agents and city code enforcement officers.  Over 25,000 clients have received assistance.

“This program support from HUD allows HOAP to maintain our counseling staff and provide ongoing training opportunities for the HOAP counselors to keep them current on trends in the affordable housing market,” said Tony Ormsby, Program Coordinator.

For more information, contact Aurora’s Community Development Division at 303-739-7900 or online at www.auroragov.org, Neighborhood Services Department.