Housing counselors participating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s various programs must be certified to offer counseling services to consumers, according to a final rule issued this week by the agency. In order to become certified, housing counselors must pass a standardized written examination and work for a HUD-approved housing counseling agency (HCA). Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in six areas of housing counseling: financial management, property maintenance, responsibilities of homeownership and tenancy, fair housing laws and requirements, housing affordability, and avoidance of mortgage delinquency, eviction and default. Despite its recent release, the final rule will take full effect three years following the announcement of the certification exam. HUD will offer intensive training and study resources in English and Spanish to ...