Housing Action
Training Center

National Trainings for Housing Counselors

A core part of our Capacity Building program is bringing a robust lineup of trainings for nonprofit housing professionals, with a specific focus on educating housing counselors.

Our goal is to equip housing counselors with the skills and knowledge they need to better help individuals and families find and keep good homes. In 2021, we expanded our training program beyond Illinois, and since then, we have continued to grow our programming, educating housing counselors from across the country.

Interested in joining us to expand your knowledge and better serve your community? Join our email list to learn about ongoing learning opportunities.

Register for upcoming trainings

Going Nationwide

Housing Action has been training housing counselors since 2006. In 2021, we expanded our training program beyond Illinois, and since then, we have continued to grow our programming, educating housing counselors from across the country.

In 2023, our trainings were attended by

participants

from across the U.S.

On-Demand Trainings

Recognizing the need for housing counselors to have flexible and dynamic learning opportunities, we’ve launched our first on-demand training opportunity, Compliance Matters: The 2024 Definitive HUD Data Compliance Course for HUD-Certified Housing Counselors.

Prerecorded Trainings & Materials

HUD Updates with Jerrold H. Mayer (2023)

Jerrold H. Mayer from HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling joined Housing Actions Intermediary network on May 17, 2023 to provide an update on HUD programs, new initiatives, and the HUD Handbook 7601. He also discussed upcoming opportunities and challenges facing housing counselors in our industry.

Helping Illinois Homeowners Navigate the Home Appraisal Process (2022)

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: The Role of Housing Counselors (2022)

Fair housing is the right to choose housing free from unlawful discrimination. This training is to help housing counselors better understand the how fair housing works in the United States and why it is so important. Learn about the history of the Fair Housing Act and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), why these legal protections are essential to expanding housing opportunities, what has happened recently when it comes to fair housing, and how housing counselors can play a critical role in furthering fair housing for your clients and your communities.

Housing Action Illinois brought this training partnership with CAFHA.

Stay Informed & Hear from Experts

We partner with well-respected trainers to make sure that participants get the critical updates and key foundational information needed to support clients.

Becoming a HUD-Certified Housing Counselor

Housing Action Illinois has designed a training series to help newcomers who are interested in a career as a housing counselor. Our Housing Counseling Career Path is a comprehensive program designed to help you understand the six core principles of housing counseling and prepare to pass the HUD Individual Certification Exam, which makes you eligible for hire by a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Learn more »

Making the Case for Housing Counseling

Housing Action Illinois created this What is Housing Counseling? video to help housing counselors explain who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. You’re welcome to embed it on your website by following these instructions »

HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling has launched a campaign called Let’s Make Home the Goal to help people understand how HUD-certified housing counseling can help with reaching financial and homeownership goals.

See campaign materials »

Latest News for Housing Counselors

A New Start as a Housing Counselor

A New Start as a Housing Counselor

by | Dec 19, 2023 | , | 0 Comments

Verdene Sims has always had a desire to help people, so after retiring from a career in telecommunications, she decided to start doing something entirely different and wanted to commit herself to doing something that would support others. She says, “I wasn’t sure...

Counting All Wins

Counting All Wins

by | Oct 1, 2023 | , , | 0 Comments

 Housing counseling is “almost like helping someone walk through the American dream—but it’s not all about homeownership,” says Kesha Chatman, the Division Operating Officer at Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “You are counseling on their finances, you are...

Announcing the Release of CMS Guide 3.0

Announcing the Release of CMS Guide 3.0

by | Sep 13, 2023 | , | 0 Comments

Housing Action Illinois is pleased to announce the release of the latest edition of our Guide to HUD-Approved CMSs (version 3.0), which profiles HUD-approved Client Management Systems (CMSs) for housing counseling agencies. This digital resource is available for free...