Lorain County Community Action Agency

Housing Services Department

For many families, figuring out the homeownership process can be complex, frustrating, and intimidating. Many are unsure how to begin to buy a house, and often face barriers that prevent them from attaining this dream, lack of savings for down payment and closing costs, high consumer debt loads, or poor credit histories.  In a time when the housing market is in a crisis it is good to know someone is on your side to offer education, information, and assistance on all aspects of housing. Lorain County Community Action Agency’s Housing Services Department offers classes and counseling ranging from pre-purchase to foreclosure prevention and mediation. The Housing Services Program is here to help clients through private and confidential consultation, assessments, and referrals. At LCCAA we strive to provide distinct tailor-made options to achieve our client’s goals.

As a HUD Certified Counseling Site LCCAA is required to provide housing counseling in accordance with the anti-discrimination laws and represent clients without any conflict of interest. What this means is we will always work in your best interest providing unbiased assistance regardless of who you are and what your financial situation is. LCCAA has signed and adopted the National Industry Standards for Housing Education and Standards; confirming our commitment to continual education in housing and financial literacy. We achieve this measure by ensuring our certified housing staff receives continued education and training in an effort to maintain and promote a high standard of practice in the housing industry. 

Ensuring fair, decent, and adequate housing is essential to community development. LCCAA works to maintain and increase property values and appearance by providing foreclosure prevention counseling and rental counseling to avoid more vacant properties in our neighborhoods. In 2008 alone LCCAA has saved Lorain County nearly $1.5 million dollars in property value loss through foreclosure prevention and mediation efforts.

We provide the following Housing Services:

INDIVIDUAL PRE PURCHASE COUNSELING
Individual pre-purchase counseling at which time a credit and needs analysis will be done determining the individual obstacles to homeownership and an action plan will be created including goals and objectives.

CREDIT CLINIC
A three hour monthly credit workshop designed to educate consumers on fair credit reporting, correcting errors, and improving and maintaining strong credit.

FINANCIAL FITNESS SERIES
A two session course, addressing budgeting and money matters including; creating and maintaining a budget, setting and achieving financial goals, paying debt, savings and investments.

POST PURCHASE COUNSELING
Individually counseling to address specific needs of the clients after home has closed. This will include refinance and HECM education and counseling.

DEFAULT/FORECLOSURE COUNSELING
Default and foreclosure prevention counseling and mediation as a means for intervention.

REVERSE MORTGAGE/HECM COUNSELING
Counseling for persons over 62 years of age wishing to refinance their home using a reverse equity mortgage.

DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
Assistance for low to moderate income first time homebuyers in the amount of $1,000.00 to be used towards down payment.

ANNUAL HOMEOWNERS FAIR
An annual exposition addressing concerns and issues facing homeowners including cost effective rehabbing, creating curb appeal, energy efficiency, and neighborhood safety.

HOT/SHOT (Home Owner Training/Spanish Home Owner Training)
Homebuyer education classes facilitated by a Certified Homeownership Instructor and housing professionals covering topics including loans and lending, predatorily lending, finding a home, the closing process, and default prevention.

To sign up for any of the programs listed above or for more information on the Housing Programs offered at LCCAA please contact Diana Marrero-Pinto at 440-204-3155 or at dmarreropinto@lccaa.net.

Diana Marrero-Pinto, Director of Housing has the following credentials:

• Certified Credit Counselor
• Certified Homebuyer Educator & Counselor (CHEC) - American Homeowner Education & Counseling Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2001
• Certified Homeownership Trainer - NeighborWorks America, 2006
• Post Purchase Homeownership Educator July 2007
• Property Management Specialist -Center for International Certifications 2008
• Certified Homeownership Trainer - NeighborWorks America, 2006
• Real Estate Agent - Ohio Board of Professional Licenses, Ohio, 1999
• Ohio Public Notary - Ohio Board of Professional Licenses, Ohio, 1999

Down Payment Assistance Guidelines

Eligibility

All Lorain County residents who meet both the income and other eligibility requirements described below.

Income Requirements
The income eligibility requirements are based on family size and total family income.  The family income must be no more than 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for Lorain County area as shown the below:

* Above are income limits for 2009— subject to change upon notice.

 Other Eligibility Requirements
There are other requirements that must be met in addition to the income requirements to be eligible for participation in the LCCAA Down Payment Assistance Program.   To be eligible the applicant must: 

• Not have owned a home within last three years 
• Have been employed full time or have steady documented income for last two years
• Be able to secure approved first mortgage financing  
• Complete an intake and credit assessment  
• Complete both a credit and budgeting seminar
• Complete HUD approved Homebuyer Training Course
• Complete pre-closing HUD 1/ Mortgage review 
• Commit to occupying home you are purchasing
• Commit to attend post purchase counseling
• Agree to abide by program requirements

Down Payment Individual Development Account (IDA)

A new program is under way in Lorain County that allows low and moderate-income people to accumulate hard assets through a comprehensive program of savings, education, training and counseling.

Individual Development Accounts (IDA’s) are leveraged savings and investment accounts use restricted to first time homeownership.

Personal savings will be matched $2 for every $1 with a ceiling of $2000 in match dollars. The match will be provided upon completion of all program requirements.

Participants Savings Match Dollars Acquisition Purchase

$1000 + $2000 = $3000

GUIDELINES

1. Household Income

Can Be:

• Employment
• Self-employment
• Social security
• A combination of any of these

2. Mandatory monthly savings

Participants are required to make regular monthly deposits to grow their accounts

3. Mandatory attendance at monthly financial education classes

Participants will be required to attend a series of financial education classes. IDA participants will gain knowledge and participate in interactive learning, and networking.

4. Mandatory asset development counseling

All participants will be required to meet with a program counselor in order to develop and maintain a personalized asset development plan (includes asset goal, budget, and timeline).

Should you require assistance, please contact Diana Marrero-Pinto or at (440) 204-3155 or e-mail us at: dmarreropinto@lccaa.net

Applications

If you are interested in Foreclosure counseling, please download and complete the Foreclosure Mediation Packet and return to Maria Price, Housing Counselor, during your appointment time. Please write your loan number on every page of the foreclosure application and also on all attachments. If you have not set up an appointment time, please contact Maria at (440) 204-3156 or at mprice@lccaa.net.  

Housing Calendar of Events 2010 

All events are held at the Community Learning & Technology Center at 506 Broadway on the 3rd Floor unless otherwise noted.

In 2008, 20 Lorain County residents became first time home owners through the down-payment assistance program.  Over 70 students participated in Financial Literacy Courses.  Through Foreclosure Counseling 14 family's were able to save their homes by using LCCAA's programs which preserved $1.5M in local property values.