• Must be an established, community based, 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit or governmental entity that has functioned for at least one year in the geographical area that the applicant proposes to serve;
• Must demonstrate the financial capacity, from multiple funding sources, to cover administrative costs of the program and staff salaries;
• Must have successfully administered a housing counseling program for at least one year and have the financial ability to provide housing counseling services beyond MSHDA’s Program Counseling Services;
• Must employ staff trained in housing counseling with at least six months experience in the job they will perform in the counseling program;
• Must be able to provide counseling services to all individuals within the geographical area that the agency intends to serve;
• Must adopt the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling and National Industry Foreclosure Standards;
• Must submit an Agency Profile, along with the required supporting documentation.

Once an application is received, MSHDA program staff:

• Review the Agency Profile and supporting documentation;
• Determine the Program needs for the counties the agency intends to serve;
• Evaluate the application based on the agency’s financial capacity;
• Evaluate counseling staff experience;
• Evaluate the agency’s program for potential conflicts of interest;
• May conduct an agency site visit.

Once an agency has been approved to provide counseling services and agreements have been signed, counseling staff must attend MSHDA's New Counselor Training and successfully pass a written assessment.

For further information, please contact the MSHDA Homeownership Counseling Specialist for your area:

Eastern Michigan
Sean Chapman (517) 241-2630 chapmans4@michigan.gov

Central Michigan
Sharon Evans (517) 373-8016 evanssk@michigan.gov

Western Michigan
Karen Lawson (517) 373-2307 lawsonk@michigan.gov