More Housing and Financial Services
More Housing and Financial Services, Workshops and Counseling
In addition to its primary programming, the Louisville Urban League’s Center for Housing & Financial Empowerment (CHFE) hosts several other 1-on-1 counseling and Group Education classes. Find out more information about each of them below.
Fair Housing Pre-Purchase Education Workshops
This two (2) hour education session covers the fair housing and lending laws. We discuss the protected classes covered under the Fair Housing Act and discrimination regarding real estate and home mortgage loans. We provide scenarios of discrimination and the actions to take if discrimination occurs. We cover how to file a Fair Housing complaint. This class is not offered on a continuous basis but during Fair Housing month or as requested by other agencies, organizations, etc.
Non- Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshops
The Center for Housing & Financial Empowerment (CHFE) offers Post-Purchase Workshops for existing homeowners who are not delinquent but want information that will allow them to remain successful homeowners. LUL’s workshops are based on NeighborWorks “Keeping the American Dream” Curriculum. The workshops cover important information to homeowners about building their community, staying financially fit and maintaining and improving their homes. The information is designed to equip homeowners with the skills they need to remain secure in their home.
This two (2) hour education session provides information and resources to assist individuals in recognizing predatory lending practices, such as inadequate or false disclosures, inflated fees and charges, unlicensed loan officers, being rushed to sign papers, blank spaces in documents, and payday and high-interest loans. We cover how to file a complaint with the Kentucky Department of Justice and/or Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The class is not offered continuously but occasionally during National Homeownership Month and/or as requested by other agencies, organizations, etc.
Home Improvement and Rehabilitation Counseling
Activity for these clients will vary depending upon the goals of the client. Counselor activity/client work plans will reflect the shortest plan to help the client achieve goals. E.g., refinancing counseling or counseling for a second home will require counseling steps achieved in pre-purchase counseling.
Clients receiving post-purchase counseling may often want to meet with a counselor to review credit report, credit scores, and create a budget. In most cases to obtain a home improvement loan or refinance their current mortgage.
Financial Management for Homeowners
Post-Purchase Counseling and/or Default Mortgage Counseling (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Counseling) may include the decision to refinance the property, sell the property, short sale the property, or relinquish the home back to the mortgage company by way of deed-in-lieu or short sale. As HUD- Certified Housing Counselors, we walk clients through their options until the case is resolved. If a property is to be sold, we inform clients to work with a realtor and perhaps provide them with referrals.
If at any point a client feels the home they chose is not a good fit or that being a homeowner is more than they can handle, we will work with them to understand their concerns and may suggest selling the property and acquiring a new home that best suits their needs. Homeowners may decide not to purchase another home if they feel that the responsibility of homeownership is burdensome.
Financial Management/Budget & Credit Counseling
The Louisville Urban League assists any client contacting our agency seeking to improve their overall financial situation. First, CHFE counselors assess clients’ short- and long-term financial goals. Following that, they analyze the client’s current budget and spending habits to gain a better understanding of their financial outlook and then work with them to develop a new budget to reach their goals. Short-term counseling ranges from three to six months, and long-term counseling from six to twelve months.
