MSHDA awarded largest-ever housing counseling grant

Media Contacts: Katie Bach, BachK@michigan.gov
Anna Vicari, VicariA@michigan.gov

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) today announced it is receiving a $1.087 million housing counseling grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds will be distributed to 24 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies across Michigan to support their critical work to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on housing, maintain housing stability by helping families with foreclosure and rental eviction prevention, and give residents tools to make informed housing choices.

The grant, which also includes funding for further training and education and to attract and retain more housing counseling professionals, is the largest award MSHDA has received from HUD since 2009. That’s when the two government entities began partnering on the delivery of housing counseling.

“Every Michigander deserves a safe place to call home,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This grant will help Michigan’s statewide network of dedicated housing counselors support families with the tools and education they need to manage their personal finances, buy their first home, or secure housing stability. When families have equitable access to financial freedom, it has a positive ripple effect on future generations and our economy.”

HUD-approved counseling agencies provide services to address a full range of housing counseling needs. This includes assisting homebuyers in evaluating their readiness for a home purchase and navigating through the homebuying process, finding affordable rental housing, offering financial literacy training to individuals and families, and providing foreclosure prevention counseling. These agencies also support emergency preparedness and disaster recovery efforts by helping those experiencing homelessness find transitional housing.

In 2021, MSHDA’s entire statewide network of housing counseling agencies served almost 10,000 low- and moderate-income residents. Even when in-person classes were rare, they provided group education to 7,343 people, helped 1,509 Michiganders become empowered homebuyers, and made it easier for 1,981 families to create sustainable budgets leading to financial freedom.

“MSHDA and HUD remain committed to meeting and prioritizing the housing security needs of Michigan residents because we have seen it have a transformational impact on those who use our services,” said Veronica Depotty, MSHDA’s HUD grant manager and housing education specialist. “Our clients are 85 percent more likely to remain current on mortgage and rent, and equally as important are the positive generational impacts on their families.”

Residents can find a HUD-approved counseling agency in their area by visiting www.Michigan.gov/HousingEducationLocator

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