Homebuyer Resources

Housing Counseling & Money Management Center

Westmoreland Community Action's Housing Counseling & Money Management Center offers the training, support and resources to help families achieve the "American Dream" of owning your own home. 

Graduates of this program who meet qualifying guidelines are eligible to purchase one of the homes constructed through the Neighborhood Revitalization program.  

The Housing Counseling & Money Management Center, a HUD and PHFA approved housing counseling program, provides free housing counseling services to all Westmoreland County residents with housing needs or problems potentially resolvable through homebuyer education and/or pre-purchase counseling.

W.C.A. has been approved by USDA Rural Development to package “502” and, “504” loans. The role of a loan packager is to assist the applicant in preparing an application package. The role of a loan packager is to assist the applicant in preparing and application package. The loan packager submits the application and supportive material to the Rural Development office. The objective of a 502 Direct Rural Housing loan is to provide very low and low income persons the opportunity to buy or build a home with 100% financing. The purpose of a 504 loan is to provide assistance to very low income homeowners for home improvements to remove health and safety hazards or to make a home accessible for household members with disabilities—maximum loan is $20,000 at 1% interest with a maximum term of 20 years. The 504 grant is available to very low income homeowners 62 and older. The maximum grant amount is $7,500. A combination of loan and grants may be used.

To view our brochure please click here.
To view our two new workshops please click here.
 
The Housing Counseling & Money Management Center provides homeownership counseling and instruction to homebuyers participating in the following WCA collaborations:

• Westmoreland County Housing Authority (WCHA) Homeownership Program,
• Monessen Redevelopment Authority Homeownership Project and the USDA Rural Development 502 loan program.
• City of Jeannette South Sixth Street Project

The Housing Counseling & Money Management Center offers three housing counseling services via classroom instruction:

• Homebuyer Class provides homebuyers with the knowledge, skills and guidance necessary to achieve and sustain homeownership. Graduates of this program are eligible to purchase a new home developed by the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, if they meet certain qualifying criteria.
• Credit Enhancement Workshop offers credit report analysis and the development of an action plan for credit restoration based on the wise use of credit, budgeting and underwriting guidelines.
• Pre-closing Classes focus on foreclosure prevention and home maintenance.
• Fundamentals of Budgeting Workshop provides instruction on developing a financial plan that allocates income toward expenses, debt repayment and savings.
• A Renter's Guide-Landlord and Tenant Rights and Reponsibilities Workshop provides an overview of the landlord and tenant relationship as it pertains to leases, landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities, security deposits, repairs, remedies for breaches of the lease, evictions.

For More Information

Contact Westmoreland Community Action for more information on the Housing Counseling & Money Management Center. 

Program Funding

The Housing Programs are funded through the Department of Housing & Urban Development, the PA Department of Community & Economic Development, the Westmoreland County Department of Planning, and various corporate and private donations. 

We Provide Services to Residents of Westmoreland County

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