Housing Counseling Services
Housing Counseling Agencies in Athens-Clarke County
General housing counseling, credit counseling for prospective homeowners, mortgage counseling, home buyer delinquency and predatory lending counseling, foreclosure prevention assistance, reverse mortgage counseling, home maintenance and financial management for new homeowners, rental housing counseling, and fair housing counseling are services that are available in Athens-Clarke County.
For additional information, please contact HCD staff at (706) 613-3155.
What's a HUD Certified Housing Counselor?
From HUD's Website:
"HUD’s Housing Counseling Program provides support to a nationwide network of housing counseling agencies (HCAs). These agencies provide information, advice, and tools for consumers seeking, financing, maintaining, renting, or owning a home. Agencies also assist those facing homelessness and homeowners in need of foreclosure assistance. HUD certifies every housing counselor delivering services at HUD-approved HCAs across the country."
To become a Certified HUD Housing Counselor, see HUD's Housing Counseling website for more information.
Housing Counselors in Athens-Clarke County include:
Athens Land TrustHUD Certified Housing Counseling Agency 685 N Pope StAthens, GA 30601 Phone: (706) 613-0122 Website:https://athenslandtrust.org/housing-counseling/ Email Athens Land Trust | Hancock Community Development CorporationHUD Certified Housing Counseling Agency 300 Henderson ExtAthens, GA 30606 Phone: (706) 546-1154 Website:https://www.hancockcdc.org/ *Online Home Buyer Education |
University of Georgia - Extension OfficeHUD Certified Housing Counseling Agency300 Carlton St Athens, GA 30602 Phone: (706) 542-9165Website: https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/money-family-home/housing-home-environment.html Email: prturner@uga.edu | East Athens Development CorporationFirst Time Home-buyer Workshop410 McKinley Dr Athens, GA 30601 Phone: (706) 208-0048 Website: https://www.eadcinc.org/ |
Athens Community Council On Aging135 Hoyt St.Athens, GA 30601 Phone:(706) 549-4850Website: Home - Athens Community Council on Aging Email: jmoon@accaging.org |
Housing Counseling Program
Program funded through General Funds from HCD
FY27 Housing Counseling Program RFP
The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County (ACCGov) is seeking partnerships with local community service providers that support achieving the goals and priorities identified in the FY26-28 Strategic Plan expanding access to Housing Counseling services to assist residents (renters and homeowners) of Athens-Clarke County.
ACCGov will make available up to $100,000 in general funds for Housing Counseling program activities. Housing Counseling proposals will be evaluated by HCD staff, and all eligible proposals will be rated and determined for funding recommendations. Awards are based on funding requirements and availability, and based on scoring criteria, proposals that rate the highest and meet funding requirements may be recommended to the Mayor and Commission for funding approval.
Athens Clarke County reverses the right to reject ineligible proposals and/ reduce funding awards for one or more proposals.
The purpose of these activities is to support home ownership, asset building, and economic prosperity through home ownership education and counseling programs, foreclosure prevention, financial literacy, credit repair, and education regarding affordable housing sustainability. Additionally, this program provides resources and referral services to low- and moderate-income households to allow them access to housing information, opportunities, and education/information, i.e., foreclosure prevention, resident and homeowner rights, etc.
Eligibility for funding requires that the agency have a minimum of one year experience implementing a Housing Counseling Program AND has a certified HUD Housing Counselor on staff by the time the contract is executed. See application materials below for additional eligibility requirements.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 10:00 am, HCD hosted a virtual, application release meeting to explain how eligible nonprofit organizations may access these general funds for applicable services directly benefitting Athens-Clarke County Residents. Applications submitted by November 24, 2025, will be reviewed by the Vision Committee and presented to the Mayor and Commission in March 2026. In April 2026, the Mayor and Commission will vote to award funding to selected agencies.
The FY27 Housing Counseling Program & FY27 Community Partnership Program (CPP) Release Meeting recording and slide deck are linked below.
Application Release Meeting Slides