HELP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP

Programs

1. Pre- and Post-Purchase Homebuyer Education & Counseling: H.E.L.P. CDC provides HUD-approved pre- and post-purchase homebuyer education workshops and one-on-one counseling to low- and moderate-income individuals and families working toward sustainable, affordable homeownership in Central Florida. Pre-purchase services prepare clients for the homebuying process through mortgage readiness, credit building, household budgeting, understanding loan products, and navigation of down payment assistance programs. Post-purchase counseling supports homeowners after closing through financial management, home maintenance education, and non-delinquency support to protect their investment and sustain housing stability. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, H.E.L.P. CDC served 516 households through group homebuyer education workshops and 139 households through individual pre-purchase counseling sessions a combined total of 655 pre-purchase client interactions. An additional 100 households received both one-on-one counseling and group education services. H.E.L.P. CDC's pre- and post-purchase program serves a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse client base, including a…

   $244,165 spent
   100% of program spending

2. Foreclosure Intervention Counseling: H.E.L.P. CDC provides HUD-approved foreclosure intervention counseling to homeowners statewide across Florida who are facing mortgage delinquency, default, or the imminent threat of foreclosure. H.E.L.P. CDC's model is rooted in intervention not prevention because the agency recognizes that by the time most homeowners seek help, a financial hardship has already occurred. The agency's trained, HUD-certified housing counselors engage directly alongside the homeowner to assess the situation and pursue every available workout option with their mortgage servicer or lender. Services include a comprehensive review of the homeowner's income, expenses, and mortgage status; identification of options such as loan modifications, repayment plans, forbearance agreements, and short sales; preparation of required lender documentation; and direct communication support throughout the loss mitigation process. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, H.E.L.P. CDC served 20 households facing forward mortgage delinquency or default and 2 households facing reverse mortgage delinquency or default. This program is supported by HUD Housing Counseling grant…

3. Reverse Mortgage / HECM Counseling: H.E.L.P. CDC is a HUD-approved provider of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) counseling commonly known as reverse mortgage counseling. Federal law requires that senior homeowners age 62 and older complete independent counseling with a HUD-approved agency before obtaining a reverse mortgage. As one of a limited number of HUD-approved agencies offering this service, H.E.L.P. CDC provides HECM counseling to clients nationally, extending the agency's reach well beyond its Central Florida home base. H.E.L.P. CDC's certified HECM counselors provide objective, lender-independent guidance ensuring each client fully understands the costs, obligations, alternatives, and long-term implications of a reverse mortgage before proceeding. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, H.E.L.P. CDC served 105 households through HECM counseling sessions one of the agency's highest-volume service areas. Of those served, 15 households successfully obtained a HECM reverse mortgage following counseling, enabling senior homeowners to access home equity to support retirement security, healthcare, and long-term housing stability. Program costs are supported…

4. Linking Legacies: Heirs' Property & Estate Planning Education: H.E.L.P. CDC developed and operates Linking Legacies, a community education collaborative addressing one of the most critical and underrecognized threats to generational wealth and housing stability in low- and moderate-income communities: heirs' property. Heirs' property occurs when a homeowner dies without a will or proper estate plan, leaving title to a home unclear or legally entangled among surviving family members. This condition disproportionately affecting Black, Latino, and low-income households leaves families vulnerable to partition lawsuits, predatory investors, tax sales, and the involuntary loss of homes that have been in their families for generations. The Linking Legacies Collaborative brings together H.E.L.P. CDC and three legal partners who provide free legal assistance to program participants: the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, and the Economic Justice Clinic at the Florida A&M University College of Law. A distinctive feature of the program is its fellowship model: law students from partner institutions serve as Linking Legacies…

5. Commit to Six: Financial Capability Framework: Commit to Six is H.E.L.P. CDC's trademarked financial capability framework proprietary intellectual property developed and owned by the agency. Rather than operating as a standalone class, Commit to Six is the financial education thread woven through every one of H.E.L.P. CDC's counseling and education services, reflecting the agency's belief that strong financial fundamentals benefit every household, whether renting or owning. The framework asks each client to commit to mastering six essential financial building blocks: (1) banking basics, (2) credit reports, (3) credit scores, (4) debt management, (5) housing stability, and (6) a spending and saving plan. H.E.L.P. CDC's conviction is straightforward if every family had these six fundamentals firmly in place, they would be more financially secure, more housing stable, and better positioned to pass financial knowledge down through the generations. What distinguishes Commit to Six is its hands-on, experiential teaching model. Many low-income households have never lived on a formal budget or learned these skills before. Rather than simply preparing a budget on a client's behalf,…

The 5 programs described on its FY2025 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $244,165.