Hope (and cash) for housing

During a conference call this morning from Washington D.C. Hud secretary Shaun Donovan said that $73 million in counseling grants have been approved to help fund counseling centers and , including almost $3.5 million for Minnesota. The latest appropriation is significant because it represents a 22 percent increase in funding nationwide for such programs, which are operated by more than 500 organizations and agencies that help first-time home buyers as well as people who have fallen behind on their payments. Much of that money, which is awarded based on grant requests, is being directed senior citizens who are seeking reverse mortgages, and to programs that help homeowners avoid getting scammed by companies that are trying to offer bogus loan modifications.

Here's a link to the Minnesota agencies that are getting the money: portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc