718.327.5300
info@rdrc.org

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Neighborhood Preservation Services

Neighborhood Preservation Services

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RDRC is a HUD Certified Counseling Agency, with HUD Certified Counselor on staff. RDRC continues to be a strong advocate for homeownership and continues to work with all banks and mortgage lenders to find the best available loan or refinancing products for our clients, free of charge. We provide courses and counseling services to individuals and families interested in purchasing home or who currently own a home and are having difficulties in maintaining their home.

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER

RDRC offers First Time Homebuyers workshops and individual counseling to potential
homeowners.

For many, the home-ownership process can be overwhelming and discourage qualified homeowners from experiencing one of the greatest joys in life home-ownership can bring, the ability to grow a family and create memories that can last a lifetime! At RDRC, our experienced housing team will prepare you for the responsibilities of home-ownership and coach you through the home buying process. Should you be interested in participating in the First Time Home-Buyer program online, please contact Malcolm Harewood at mharewood@rdrc.org to make that arrangement.

Inquire about our First-Time Homebuyer Certification Program, prepares you for the responsibilities of homeownership, empower you to make smart decisions throughout the home buying process and connect you to the most affordable mortgage products, including any down-payment and/or closing cost assistance programs for which you may qualify.

We offer regularly scheduled courses at our Far Rockaway location and for groups of ten or more, we can schedule a first-time homebuyer workshop at your location as well. In addition to workshops, we offer one-on-one counseling with experienced housing counselors who meet Federal requirements for training and certification.

Our team of HUD certified housing counselors have over 20 years of experience and are ready to help you. To get started, click on RDRC Homeowners Assistance Application and return to info@rdrc.org. You can also request your application be mailed or emailed to you by email or telephone in advance of your scheduled appointment.

FORECLOSURE Prevention & LOSS MITIGATION

For those homeowners who feel they cannot make their monthly loan payments due to unemployment or underemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, help is available in the form of a Forbearance Agreement from your service or lender.  If you are thinking of applying for the Forbearance Agreement being offered, please be aware that if your loan is not a Government Sponsored Enterprise loan or an FHA loan, the lender or service will be asking for a balloon payment at the end of the Forbearance Agreement.  FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT THE FORBEARANCE AGREEMENT TERM HAS EXPIRED. RDRC can assist you in obtaining a modification that adds the term of your Forbearance Agreement to the back end of your current loan. To assist existing homeowners that are facing foreclosure, RDRC offers individualized, Foreclosure Prevention and Loss Mitigation Course Counseling Services. Our Foreclosure Prevention Courses provide the participant with general solutions to delinquency- related issues such as: what to do when money management and paying your mortgage becomes a problem. We distinguish the facts versus fiction when discussing mortgage delinquency, accessing your individual financial status and developing a “manageable budget”.

Counselors identify loss mitigation resources to bring loans current – loan re-­‐structuring to reduce their monthly payment, establishing a   loan modification agreement, negotiating a   temporary deferment, or refinancing. For participants who have made a decision to sell their home for whatever reason, RDRC will provide individualized counseling services and assistance. RDRC will provide information on how to avoid predatory lending and home equity scams, and how to recognize unethical business practices. 

Download the following fillable forms for Registration to this  program and return to mharewood@rdrc.org

CREDIT COUNSELING 

For our first-time homebuyer and foreclosure clients, we also offer Credit and Debt Counseling Services. This service goes beyond the basics that are introduced under the Financial Capacity

Building Services. In addition to reviewing your tri-merged report, we assist you in resolving errors and omissions that impact your credit score and can impede your ability to obtain the lowest possible loan rate. We review your income, expenses and current debt and prepare a detailed summary of your household budget. Together we analyze your spending budget and work on solutions to reduce your debt and improve your credit score by establishing a Credit Rebuilding Plan.

There are no fees for our services but every client is required to pay the cost of obtaining a merged credit report and scores obtained by RDRC.

FINANCIAL LITERACY

After the collapse of the housing market and bank failures that led to the Great Recession of 2008, RDRC began to provide financial education as a core component of all of our youth and adult programs and services.

Because of our focus on youth development, we believe that getting the job is only half the challenge – developing good money management habits is essential and can last a lifetime.

Our Financial Literacy Course reaches over 1.5k persons per year covering topics such as the differences between banks, credit unions and non-bank financial service centers, and the fees associated with each option; how to obtain your free credit score; how to review, challenge and correct errors on your credit report; how to set-up a savings plan; and your rights as a consumer under the Federal Consumer Protection Act of 1968.

RDRC is certified by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and NeighborWorks America, and a member of the Neighborhood Preservation Coalition of New York State.

To register for any of our neighborhood preservation workshops or counseling services, please complete  our (form) email form to Malcolm Harewood at mharewood@rdrc.org.

To learn more about our housing counseling programs and to schedule an appointment, contact Malcolm Harewood, Director of Neighborhood Preservation Services at 718.327.5300 or mharewood@rdrc.org

Founded in 1978, the mission of RDRC is "to promote the revitalization of the Rockways
economic base and neighborhoods, and to secure an improved quality of life for its residents."