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Following its mission and strategic plan, the Center has fulfilled many of its goals including: establishment as an <br /> independent 501(c)3 non -profit organization with a governing Board of Directors comprised of community <br /> industry representatives; acquisition and relocation to permanent headquarters located in downtown Livermore; <br /> and most recently, formal recognition as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) <br /> approved housing counseling organization. The Center was able to reach these milestones by partnering with <br /> community organizations, such as the Bay East Association of Realtors, and working closely with its City <br /> partners who have provided technical assistance in an advisory capacity to the Center and facilitated the support <br /> of its congressional representatives who have secured $375,000 in HUD - funding. The Center continues to <br /> foster relationships with local businesses and organizations to better serve the residents of the Tri- Valley. <br /> During its tenure the Center has provided services to nearly 9,000 Tri - Valley residents which include: <br /> • 147 households in Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, Danville and surrounding areas who have <br /> successfully achieved homeownership. <br /> • 1,442 households who have attended a Center Orientation <br /> • 558 households who were enrolled into Center Financial Education Programs <br /> • 767 households who have completed Center's eight -hour First Time Homebuyer workshop <br /> • 45 households who have attended "Protect Your Investment" workshops, since 2009, and <br /> received Early Mortgage Delinquency and Default Services <br /> • 206 households who have received free tax preparation through Volunteer Income Tax <br /> Assistance (VITA) with over $160,000 in tax returns having been retained in the local <br /> community since 2008 <br /> COMMUNITY NEEDS <br /> Services offered by the Center have created financial stability for many Tri- Valley residents, and these services <br /> are needed now more than ever. Programs provided by the Center are vital and necessary to assist those who are <br /> currently facing financial hardships. In the near term, Center proposes to support community stabilization and <br /> economic recovery through three core services: pre - foreclosure prevention, post - foreclosure financial education <br /> and literacy; and homebuyer education. <br /> Foreclosure Counseling: <br /> Programs initiated at the Federal level to deal with the foreclosure problem, such as the Making Home <br /> Affordable Mortgage Program (HA VIP) of 2009 and the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program, <br /> require extensive application processes and follow -up with lenders which can be difficult for homeowners in <br /> crisis to navigate on their own. The Center has and will continue to provide local, accessible assistance through <br /> every step of the loan modification application process and communication with lenders. The Center also works <br /> with a network of partner organizations to connect residents with legal counseling and advice on other options to <br /> foreclosure, and their rights under circumstances in which residents have been victimized by predatory loan <br /> modification scams. <br /> The Center recently partnered with Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) and North Richmond <br /> Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) to provide a free workshop, hosted by City of Dublin, <br /> that presented information on foreclosure scam prevention and provided on -site counseling. Forty (40) residents <br /> from the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon and surrounding communities participated. <br /> Center, HERA and CHDC were able to assist 25 households at the workshop and follow up appointments were <br /> scheduled. These results demonstrate the continuing need for foreclosure counseling accessible to residents in <br /> the Tri - Valley and the integral role Center plays in connecting Tri - Valley residents with specialized legal and <br /> housing counseling services. We anticipate that the foreclosure trend will continue and more residents will be <br /> affected based on review of recent foreclosure activity data (www. RealtvTrac.com). The source cites a total of <br /> 6,111 households within the five cities that are experiencing pre - foreclosure activity as shown in Attachment 1. <br /> The Center will market foreclosure counseling services at no cost to the affected households, primarily through <br /> its designation as an approved housing counseling agency listed as a resource on the HUD website. <br /> Page 2 of 9 <br />