Classes designed to help clients get out of debt, improve their credit, save money for the future, get ready for home ownership, learn the basics of investing, avoid predatory lending, and become financially independent. Strategies include: - Budgeting to create savings - Reducing debt - Fixing credit report errors - Paying off collections - Building good credit - Helping to maintain solid income and employment and saving for down payment? - Certified Homebuyer Education course that is often required by lenders Housing Counselors help clients get mortgage-ready and once ready, figure out how to: - Shop for a lender - Pick a loan - Decide on a real estate agent - Find a home - Figure out home inspection, home insurance and closing processes - Housing Counselors assist throughout the entire home-buying process FAIM Matched savings program for down payment and closing costs, often used to help save for first-time homeownership

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

Provides culturally appropriate pathways to homeownership for Somali women and their families guiding women on how to utilize resources and tools for financial empowerment preparing them to make financial investments in a home, including: - Create an action plan and steps to achieve goals - Develop a budget and saving plan - Encouragement and nonjudgemental support to build financial confidence - Foreclosure advising - Homebuyer and financial education workshop - Individualized planning unique to the needs of each woman - One-on-one advice regarding credit reports and addressing credit problems

Provides low-income housing units and programs such as: - Glenville Apartments for rent - Minnesota Cities Participation Program: Low-interest mortgages for first-time home buyers in Freeborn County - Own and manages public housing units that consist of 176 units - Property management services for private rental and property sales, rehabilitation, and management

Provides training, education, and counseling to first-time homebuyers. Classes are open to first-time homebuyers or current homeowners. Offers a variety of homeownership tools to start the journey of owning a home such as: - Framework: Offers access to an online learning option. An alternative course designed to help homebuyers navigate the home buying process and can be completed at their own pace. - Homestretch Workshops: For individuals interested in learning how to buy a home. Local professionals such as real estate agents, lenders, and home inspectors speak about their part in the process. Down payment and closing cost assistance may be available to first-time homebuyers who complete the workshop as well as other eligibility criteria. Virtual workshops are available. - One-On-One Counseling Session: Counseling sessions are free and are focused on affordability, types of mortgages, budgeting, savings, and accomplishing goals

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

- Financial Coaching: budgeting, banking, credit building/repair, asset-building - Financial Education Workshops - Foreclosure Prevention Counseling and Mitigation - Homeownership Counseling and Workshops - Tax Preparation Services and Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) Preparation Services

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

Provides homebuyer counseling and education courses for individuals interested in buying a home for the first time. Programs offered: - Framework Online Classes: Provides an online homebuyer education course. Satisfies the homebuyer education requirements of Fannie Mae HomePath Ready Buyer and HomeReady by Fannie Mae. - Homebuyer Counseling: Free one-on-one counseling service to determine financial readiness to buy a home, help get credit ready, and educate on the process of buying a house and refer to programs that help - Home Stretch In-Person Classes: Eight-hour education course that prepares participants for the home buying process. The classroom-style workshop is taught by expert instructors from the nonprofit, real estate, and lending industries. Home Stretch is a requirement for most homebuyer assistance programs.

Section 8 Home Ownership - Section 8 voucher holders may be eligible for the Section 8 homeownership program - The rental assistance voucher can be used toward a monthly mortgage payment First-Time Homebuyer Program - Allocation for loans to first-time homebuyers available - First-time homebuyers or people who have not owned a home in the last three (3) years may qualify - The minimum requirements are buyers must have a minimum credit score of 640 and must meet income guidelines Homes and Lots for Sale Lots and homes are for sale to any person(s) who are at or below the following income guidelines: - 1-2 persons: $80,400/year - 3 + persons: $92,460/year Lots and homes for sale in the Cities of Elgin, Kenyon, St. Charles, and Wabasha - Income guidelines apply only to the first household to occupy a house - Restrictive covenants are assigned with the lots - The monitoring of each lot will be in effect from lot purchase through the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy - Private developers are welcome to purchase lot but must sell to buyers who qualify per the income guidelines - Lots prices start at $15,600 and are sold 'as is'

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

Provides the following: - Understanding of the mortage loan process - Home ownership counseling

- Financial Coaching: budgeting, banking, credit building/repair, asset-building - Financial Education Workshops - Foreclosure Prevention Counseling and Mitigation - Homeownership Counseling and Workshops - Tax Preparation Services and Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) Preparation Services

Achieve Homeownership: Identifies and addresses barriers to homeownership faced by culturally diverse households and includes culturally-tailored financial literacy classes, homebuyer education classes, prepurchase financial counseling, and downpayment and closing cost assistance programs Multi-Family Projects: Creates and preserves affordable housing throughout southeast and south central Minnesota (Fox Pointe Townhomes, Spring Creek Townhomes, Prairiewood Townhomes, and Northbridge Apartments).?

Achieve Homeownership: Identifies and addresses barriers to homeownership faced by culturally diverse households and includes culturally-tailored financial literacy classes, homebuyer education classes, prepurchase financial counseling, and downpayment and closing cost assistance programs Multi-Family Projects: Creates and preserves affordable housing throughout southeast and south central Minnesota (Fox Pointe Townhomes, Spring Creek Townhomes, Prairiewood Townhomes, and Northbridge Apartments).?

Homestretch Home Buyer Education Program: A homebuyer education program that provides information on home purchasing loan options, purchase agreements, loan closings, budgeting, and home maintenance after the purchase. After class completion, a certificate is obtained which may enable the participant to apply for certain loan programs. MHFA Rehabilitation Loan: Income-based deferred loans for improvements for basic, necessary housing repair to owner-occupied properties. There is no interest or monthly payment until the owner sells, transfer or move from the property or until after the 15th year when the deferred loan is due and payable. Loans is also available to mobile/manufactured homes taxed as personal property located in a mobile home park. Small Cities Development Program Rehab Loans: Income-based deferred grants to low to moderate-income households living in substandard housing. The program encourages the improvement of the general appearance and value of the housing stock while making a visible and substantial improvement in the quality of life in the community. Funds are also available to commercial and rental property owners. This program can provide upgrades to properties, helping them meet code requirements and design standards. Small Cities' grants require a match from the owner of the property. Most grants are written as a 70-80% grant funds and a 20-30% owner match for project funding. There is a maximum amount of funds that a project can receive as well. Prairie Five will assist in determining the match and other funding sources or options that may be available to fund the match requirement, if needed.

- Anti-predatory lending counseling - Construction monitoring - Contractor selection assistance - Home buyer counseling including post-purchase counseling - Home improvement loans, deferred loans, and servicing existing loans - Residential property development

Provides critical support to renters to ensure long-term housing stability. Services include: - FHPAP application assistance only for eligible individuals and families in Hennepin County seeking rent assistance. FHPAP does not provide direct rent assistance. Hennepin County is responsible for determining eligibility and distributing rent assistance funds. - Homeownership: First time home buyer education training - Housing Stability: Helps renters secure stable housing - Legal Support: Referrals to free legal assistance for renters

- Babysitting instruction and CPR classes - Bowling leagues - Computer, cooking, and crocheting classes - Dog obedience classes - Estate planning - First time home buyer education - Information on long term care insurance - Mature, defensive driver training - New driver training

Private nonprofit company revitalizing neighborhoods by creating and supporting successful home ownership through a one-stop shop: - Counseling on home purchase - Financial literacy programs - credit, budgeting, financial planning - Foreclosure prevention, anti-predatory lending support and programs - Home Stretch home buyer workshops - Low interest and deferred loans for home improvement and down payment assistance; grants may be available - Programming in Hmong including Home Stretch Workshops, home buyer, financial literacy, foreclosure prevention programs - Renovated or new homes for sale NOTE: Does not provide rental assistance, rental units, or assist with other rental issues

- Financial Coaching: budgeting, banking, credit building/repair, asset-building - Financial Education Workshops - Foreclosure Prevention Counseling and Mitigation - Homeownership Counseling and Workshops - Tax Preparation Services and Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) Preparation Services

Achieve Homeownership: Identifies and addresses barriers to homeownership faced by culturally diverse households and includes culturally-tailored financial literacy classes, homebuyer education classes, prepurchase financial counseling, and downpayment and closing cost assistance programs Multi-Family Projects: Creates and preserves affordable housing throughout southeast and south central Minnesota (Fox Pointe Townhomes, Spring Creek Townhomes, Prairiewood Townhomes, and Northbridge Apartments).?

Homestretch Home Buyer Education Program: A homebuyer education program that provides information on home purchasing loan options, purchase agreements, loan closings, budgeting, and home maintenance after the purchase. After class completion, a certificate is obtained which may enable the participant to apply for certain loan programs. MHFA Rehabilitation Loan: Income-based deferred loans for improvements for basic, necessary housing repair to owner-occupied properties. There is no interest or monthly payment until the owner sells, transfer or move from the property or until after the 15th year when the deferred loan is due and payable. Loans is also available to mobile/manufactured homes taxed as personal property located in a mobile home park. Small Cities Development Program Rehab Loans: Income-based deferred grants to low to moderate-income households living in substandard housing. The program encourages the improvement of the general appearance and value of the housing stock while making a visible and substantial improvement in the quality of life in the community. Funds are also available to commercial and rental property owners. This program can provide upgrades to properties, helping them meet code requirements and design standards. Small Cities' grants require a match from the owner of the property. Most grants are written as a 70-80% grant funds and a 20-30% owner match for project funding. There is a maximum amount of funds that a project can receive as well. Prairie Five will assist in determining the match and other funding sources or options that may be available to fund the match requirement, if needed.

Provides the following: - Understanding of the mortage loan process - Home ownership counseling