Housing Solutions For The Southwest Inc

Programs: Housing counseling: housing solutions offers several types of housing counseling, often in conjunction with financial assistance. Counseling services help identify issues and solutions, as well as educate individuals and families on housing options. Emergency assistance program: this program combines multiple funding sources to help people with both financial assistance and counseling. Depending on the needs of the individual or family, the counselor identifies potential programs that the person would qualify for and benefit from in a sustainable way. Most of the financial assistance goes towards rent or utilities. One example is the community emergency assistance program which helps families and individuals in emergency situations. The assistance can pay for late rent/utilities, car repair and/or insurance, child care or other emergency needs. The goal is to help a family maintain self-sufficiency. Recipients also receive mandatory counseling to help with budgeting, affordable housing search assistance and other needs. Some of the funding sources allow for longer term rental assistance and counseling. Foreclosure prevention counseling and reverse mortgage counseling: foreclosure prevention counseling focuses on struggling homeowners who fall behind on their mortgage payments or who have suffered a hardship which puts them at risk of falling behind on payments. Counseling sessions include review of the circumstances that led to their default, debt management, debt to income ratios, budgeting, reviewing & reducing expenditures, loan document review, bankruptcy, alternatives to foreclosure, the foreclosure process, and evaluating & developing a work out plan with the lender. Emphasis is given to the proposed resolution being both realistic and sustainable over time. If no work out plan is feasible, other alternatives are discussed & evaluated. In some situations clients may need referrals or assistance in obtaining alternative housing. We have assisted numerous clients with the federal making home affordable program and other mortgage modification programs, which are an excellent alternative for many homeowners. This program will be handled by the foreclosure hotline next year. Reverse mortgage counseling: seniors wanting to use the equity in their home to either eliminate their mortgage payment or as a means to increase their income are required to have a certificate from a third party counseling agency (hud approved) in order to obtain a home equity conversion mortgage (hecm). We are the only counseling agency in the region offering this counseling service.

transitional housing/rapid re-housing: homeless individuals and families participating in the rapid rehousing and transitional housing programs receive rental assistance and supportive services that promote long-term stability. Each participant works closely with an advocate to create a unique, self-directed goal plan which connects households to community resources. Long-term goals such as education, career planning, healthy child development, budgeting, and livable wage employment can be achieved with stable housing in place. Housing solutions recently added an additional transitional housing program for victims of crime, if the crime impacted the victim's housing stability. Housing solutions has been chosen by the department of justice to be the lead agency of a transitional housing program specifically to provide comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

home rehabilitation and revolving loan fund: this program, which the agency has been operating for over 30 years, offers homeowners who may not qualify for a conventional bank loan, a low interest loan to repair health or safety issues with their home (such as roof, sewer, plumbing, electrical, etc. ). Funds repaid by the homeowners revolve back into the loan fund to help additional clients. Accessibility and weatherization needs can also be met through this program. Homes are replaced when repairs are not practical.

housing voucher management: this program is designed for families and individuals to pay 30% of their income toward rent and utilities. Preferences for most of the vouchers include people with a disability, experiencing homelessness or victims of domestic violence. This program is an ongoing assistance designed to work with families until 30% of their income is equal to or less than their monthly rent and utilities. Housing solutions also manages housing vouchers for homeless veterans, youth transitioning from foster care and vouchers for family reunification. Crisis intervention program: the crisis intervention program provides emergency repair or replacement for heating system failures to limited-income residents of colorado. Heating system failures can be extremely dangerous and this program can be life-saving in certain situations. Affordable housing and development: housing solutions is involved in building and developing affordable housing through tax credit projects, foundation partnerships, governmental partnerships, private partnerships and other collaborations. Housing solutions was the non-profit partner that built 61 single family homes in a subdivision called southwest horizon ranch in 1981. Housing solutions exercised the right of first refusal and purchased the property this year and began managing the property as well. The property rents to people with incomes in the 40% to 60% of area median incomes and accepts people with vouchers. Housing solutions also built and manages a 19 unit apartment building for seniors at socorro senior living center. The agency also owns and operates homeward bound, a 5 unit affordable housing apartment operating under the transitional housing model in collaboration with the city of durango which owns the property. The agency partnered with habitat for humanity to provide land and financing for land for habitat to build affordable housing. Also, the agency owns several vacant parcels on which affordable housing opportunities are being explored. Home modification program: housing solutions is certified to do home modifications, such as wheel- chair ramps or lifts and roll-in showers, for individuals who qualify under medicaid to improve their home's accessibility.