NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION COMPANY

Human Development Services of Westchester (HDSW) has been the designated Neighborhood Preservation Company for the Village of Port Chester since 1978 under New York State Legislation. The agency is responsible for administering a wide range of housing and community activities to preserve and promote housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons. In 2006, HDSW became a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency. Housing counseling provides individuals and families with the knowledge they need to obtain, sustain, and improve their housing. We belong to a strong national network of 2,500 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and housing counselors. HDSW is also an adopter of the National Industry Standards for Home ownership.

Education and Counseling

The program’s bilingual and multicultural staff provides direct assistance to tenants, landlords, first time home buyers, and homeowners with a variety of housing counseling programs and services. If we cannot directly assist, we will refer clients to other agencies who may be able to help.

Our services are confidential and many are free of charge. Please click on one of the programs available to obtain more information on how we may be able to assist you.

To register for one of our workshops, you may download and complete a registration form, or call us at (914) 939-2005 for more information.

RENTAL COUNSELING

Rental counseling is an important service that can help individuals and families identify challeges that may prevent them from finding stable and affordable housing. Our program provides a variety of services to tenants and landlords to help them understand their rights and responsibilities based on New York State tenant laws and local housing ordinances that may impact their rental relationship. The purpose of our rental counseling services is the following:

Identify issues that are preventing the client from remaining in their home or from finding a place to live.
Assess the current housing and financial position of each client.
Educate the client and to help them make changes and decisions to meet their housing goals.
Provide referrals to other community services and programs.

It is the goal of the Neighborhood Preservation Company to counsel clients by answering questions, explain their rights and responsibilities as tenants or landlords, and discuss options available in order to resolve the problem.

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER COUNSELING & GROUP EDUCATION

As a HUD-Approved housing counseling agency, HDSW’s Neighborhood Preservation Company offers individual and group counseling sessions to renters interested in purchasing their first home.

The goal is to help participants understand the home purchasing process, how to budget, resolve pending credit problems, and most importantly, avoid predatory lending and mortgage scams.

Anyone interested in receiving pre-purchase counseling must first attend a Homebuyer Counseling Orientation. The Orientation covers the following topics: Down payment and closing cost assistance, mortgage products available for first time homebuyers, Budget and Credit, and an overview of the closing process. Click here for Orientation Schedule and to register. After you register, please complete the Homebuyer Intake Form and bring it with you to the Orientation.

Our services are confidential and free of charge. Please click on one of the programs available to obtain more information on how we may be able to assist you.

FORECLOSURE PREVENTION & INTERVENTION COUNSELING

The need for Foreclosure Prevention and Intervention Counseling has increased in the last five years. Our certified staff will help you understand your options and may be able to discuss with lenders resolution(s) that keeps you in your home.

The Foreclosure Prevention and Intervention Services we provide are the following:

Counseling and Advice
Loss Mitigation Services
Credit and Budget Counseling
Explanation to homeowners about options available to prevent foreclosures
Information on Foreclosure scams

Counseling services provided are for homeowners in owner-occupied properties. Clients must follow our intake process in order to meet with a foreclosure prevention counselor. For more information, please contact our Intake Coordinator at (914) 939-2005 or email at HDSWHOUSINGHELP@aol.com.

The Intake Coordinator will perform a preliminary assessment and send you a packet of information that needs to be completed as well as a list of documents will be needed. Once you complete the packet and gather the documents requested, please call the office to make an appointment with a counselor.

REVERSE MORTGAGE/HECM COUNSELING

Human Development Services of Westchester is the second HUD-Approved Housing Agency in Westchester County to provide Reverse Mortgage and Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Counseling (HECM) for homeowners age 62 or older.

HDSW’s HUD-certified HECM counselor will inform and guide the client on reverse mortgages, eligibility criteria, and homeowner and lender responsibilities.

The only reverse mortgage insured by the U.S. Federal Government is called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage or HECM, and is only available through an FHA approved lender. HECM mortgages allow for the homeowner to borrow against the equity accumulated in their homes over time.

For more information on Reverse Mortgages, please visit the National Council of Aging’s booklet, “Use Your Home to Stay at Home.” and call HDSW’s HECM-Certified Counselor at 914-939-2005

FINANCIAL COACHING/EDUCATION

Throughout the year, the NPC offers a series of financial literacy courses to individuals interested in learning more about budgeting, saving, planning for retirement, and other related financial topics. HDSW believes that financially knowledgeable individuals are better able to make well-informed economic decisions for themselves and their families, thus increasing their economic security. This in turn fosters better economic outcomes for their communities.

Credit counseling is offered to individuals and households who have poor credit and who would like to create an individualized plan of action to reach their financial goals.

For more information, please call our office at (914) 939-2005 or email us at HDSWHOUSINGHELP@aol.com