Housing Counseling

Everyone has the right to safe, stable, and affordable housing. Our dedicated housing counselors are working to build and retain equity in our communities, ensuring that first-time homeowners have the right tools and access to the housing market — and that families working to avoid foreclosure have the resources to do so.

Last year, Our HUD-certified housing counseling program touched 2,890 lives and helped 68 families achieve homeownership, nearly double the 2017 amount with a total market value of more than $4.2 million.

We resolved 103 potential home foreclosures, preserving $4 million in home values and sparing neighborhoods citywide the potential blight and weakened property values that are often a consequence of foreclosure. By utilizing our utility assistance program, an additional 88 families were able to remain in their homes.

Our team of counselors offered industry-standard financial literacy education to 2,209 participants, working with local stakeholders, churches, government officials and nonprofits to provide free and accurate information across the region.  

  • Through the housing program we seek to encourage, promote and foster responsible homeownership for individuals and families in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
  • We aim to educate and prepare people to navigate the processes of home purchasing, default delinquency, tax lien, home repair and tenant related matters.
  • ULP implements its Housing program in the following areas: pre-purchase, resolving or preventing mortgage delinquency, rental, financial management and post purchase including tax liens.
  • ULP is HUD approved, an adopter of the National Industry Standards and has nationally certified counselors.
Learn More

Call 215.985.3220 ext. 201 or email housing@urbanleaguephila.org

Mortgage Default & Delinquency

Our staff will access the causes of delinquency, provide budget review, and counsel you on foreclosure prevention options. We will be an advocate for you to seek a mutual resolution with your lending institution. Our HUD-Certified Counselors can assist you with: loan document review, loss mitigation options, diversion counseling, HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program) loan workout and HEMAP (Homeowners Emergency Assistance Program).

Utility Assistance

ULP’s Housing Department is an intake site for UESF (Utility Assistance Grant) which provides financial assistance to low income individuals and families who are facing utility terminations or who have had their utilities shut off.

We provide referral service for any issue regarding tangled titles and deed transfers. Our staff has an extensive list of resources for homeowners, heirs, and rental topics.

Anti-Predatory Lending Counseling

ULP focuses on predatory lending prevention, review of existing loan documents to determine if the loan contains elements which are predatory in conjunction with the application for a home equity loan, home improvement loan or refinancing existing loans.

First-Time Homebuyers

Our sessions provide you with the basic skills and techniques to assist you in the home purchasing process. Through our homeownership workshops and one on one counseling, you will learn about the rights and responsibilities of homeownership from experts in the housing industry. Topics covered will include: the home buying process, budgeting and money management, credit repair instructions, Fair Housing Laws, and how to choose a lender.

Eviction Diversion

The ULP is proud to partner with the City of Philadelphia’s free Eviction Diversion Program (EDP). The Program provides resources for landlords and tenants in residential rental properties to resolve issues while avoiding a costly or drawn-out court process. To learn more, click here.

Tax Lien Counseling

At ULP, we provide budget counseling for homeowners behind on their property taxes; advocate and negotiate hardship payment arrangements with firms collecting tax liens.

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