APPOINTMENT CHECKLIST

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

We understand that times arise when you may need to miss an appointment due to an emergency or other obligation for work or family. For times such as these, we ask that you advise us of the change so that the department can schedule another client requesting services. Please take the time to review the policy below:

Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy

• All cancellations and reschedules require 24-hour notice. You will need to contact your counselor by phone or email.
• A maximum of 2 changes/reschedules can be made on your behalf.

Late Appointment Policy
Please make every effort to be on-time or early to your appointment, however we do realize delays can happen.

• Arriving within 15 minutes of your appointment time will still allow you to be seen.
• Arriving more than 15 minutes late will require a reschedule.

No Show Policy

• 1st time – results in a waiting period of 30 days before a new appointment will be scheduled.

After 2 no call/no show appointments, we will be unable to schedule any future appointments, however a list of agencies providing similar services will be provided to you.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please feel free to speak with your counselor directly.

-Housing and Financial Counseling Team

Program Rights | Disclosure | Privacy Policy

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

1. This disclosure pertains to The Up Center’s Housing & Financial Counseling services which provide homeownership and general financial literacy education as well as counseling in the following areas: Prepurchase/Homebuying, Rental Topics, Non-delinquency Post-Purchase, Reverse Mortgage, and Mortgage Delinquency and Default. Other Agency services have their own Program Rights/Disclosure/Privacy policies and include: Foster Care and Adoption Services, Youth Mentoring, Supervised Visitation, Mediation, Clinical Counseling, including Mental Health and Substance Use Counseling, Parenting Education, Fatherhood Support Groups, Sponsored Family Home Placement and Veterans and Representative Payee Programs. A brief description of these services are provided in a separate document.
2. The Housing & Financial Counseling Program is a non-profit agency which receives funding from the
   United Way, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Virginia Housing, and corporate
   grants.
3. You have the right to receive financial/housing counseling by a counselor who is qualified and certified to perform that service. All of our housing counselors are HUD Certified.
4. If you need assistance due to language barriers, mobility impairments, visual or hearing impairments or other disabilities please let us know so that we can make reasonable accommodations for you to receive services. You have the right to a professional and adequate referral if the services we offer/provide do not meet your needs.
5. You have the right to attend free financial/housing education seminars provided by the Agency.
   Counselors are paid strictly on a salary or hourly basis. Counselors receive no consideration or incentive related to any decision that you may make. Please do not “tip” our counselors.
6. All of our services are free with the exception that a $150 “upfront” fee will be charged to clients who
   receive Reverse Mortgage counseling. The fee is due at the time of counseling. You may request a
   “hardship” determination be made by the counselor who may request to see documentation of income and checking and savings statements. The counselor may waive the “upfront” fee if circumstances reveal that a hardship exists. Regardless, the fee will be paid by your closing agent directly to us, if closing documentation indicates there are “funds available”.
7. You have the right to collaborate with your counselor in the preparation of a family/individual Spend Plan (budget) and a Comprehensive Financial/Action Plan to address your financial /housing needs and/or goals.
8. You have the right to know all alternatives that exist in resolving your financial/housing situation.
9. You have the right to receive services in a manner that is non-coercive and protects your right to self determination.You have the right to know of any relationship or partnership that the Agency has with any for-profit company, lender, real estate agent etc. which seeks to do business with you, or which could do business with you in the future. The following entities may compensate the Agency should you decide to use their services or may otherwise support the agency through grants or other means: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Alcova, Dollar Bank and Truist Bank. You are under no obligation to use any service communicated to you.
10. You have the right to receive copies of all documents that you are asked to sign.

The Up Center is committed to assuring the privacy of individuals and/or families who have contacted us
for assistance. We realize that the concerns you bring to us are highly personal in nature. We assure you
that all information shared both orally and in writing will be managed within legal and ethical
considerations. Your “nonpublic personal information,” such as your total debt information, income, living
expenses and personal information concerning your financial circumstances, may be provided to program
monitors from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Virginia Housing, United Way and
others for the sole purpose of ensuring you are receiving quality services from us. We may also use
anonymous aggregated case file information for the purpose of evaluating our services, gathering
valuable research information, and designing future programs.

Types of information that we gather about you:

• Information we receive from you orally, on applications or other forms, such as your name, address,
  social security number, assets, income and other budget information, and details about your housing or financial situation.
• Information obtained by our communication with you, your creditors, including landlords or mortgage
  servicers, and others. Information includes but is not limited to your balances and payment history.
• Information we receive from a credit reporting agency and referral sources.

You may opt-out of certain disclosures:

1. You have the opportunity to “opt-out” of disclosures of your nonpublic personal information to third
   parties, that is, direct us not to make those disclosures.
2. If you choose to “opt-out”, we may be limited in our ability to assist you. If at any time, you wish to
   change your decision with regard to your “opt-out”, you may call us at 757-965-8636.

Release of your information to third parties:

1. So long as you have not opted-out, we may disclose some or all of the information that we collect, as
   described above, to your creditors or third parties where we have determined that it would be helpful toyou, would aid us in counseling you, or when it is a requirement of grant awards which make our services possible.
2. We may disclose any nonpublic personal information about you to anyone as permitted by law (e.g., if
   we are compelled by legal process).
3. Within the organization, we restrict access to nonpublic personal information about you to those
   employees who need to know that information to provide services to you. We maintain physical,
   electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your nonpublic
   personal information.

Disclosure to Counseling and Education Participants

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

The Up Center is a nonprofit organization that provides the following services:

1. Housing and Financial Counseling Services:

• a. Pre-Purchase/Homebuying: assists prospective buyers navigate the home purchase
  process, including budgeting, credit, mortgage options, and closing procedures.
• b. Rental Topics: assists renters or prospective renters in obtaining and maintaining
  financial stability and permanent housing through budgeting and credit management,
  understanding tenant/landlord rights and responsibilities, and lease agreements.
• c. Non-delinquency Post Purchase: Guides new homeowners on maintaining their home,
  budgeting for ongoing expenses, and planning for future home repairs and improvements.
• d. Reverse Mortgage: a mandatory educational session that helps senior homeowners
  understand Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM), eligibility, and potential risks to
  make an informed decision.
• e. Mortgage Delinquency and Default: Assists homeowners in exploring options to prevent
  foreclosure, such as loan modifications and repayment plans.
• f. Financial Education: Guides participants in budgeting, credit and debt management, and
  saving strategies to improve financial stability. Additional class topics include fair housing,
  reverse mortgage, mortgage default and delinquency, and post-purchase education.
• g. Homebuyer Education: Guides preparing buyers with knowledge about the homebuying
  process, financing, and homeownership responsibilities.

2. Virginia Housing Accessibility Grant Application Agent:

• a. Granting Freedom provides a grant for veterans and service members with disabilities to
  make home modifications that improve accessibility and independence.
• b. Owner-Occupied Modification provides a grant to homeowners with disabilities to make
  essential modifications to enhance mobility and daily living.
• c. Rental Unit Accessibility Modification (RAUM) provides a grant to tenants with
  disabilities to modify rental units, ensuring they can live safely and comfortably in their
  homes.

Other Agency services have their own Program Rights/Disclosure/Privacy policies and include:

1. Outpatient Mental Health Counseling provides accessible, low-cost individual and group
   therapy for individuals, couples, families, and children, offering support to navigate emotional and
   mental health challenges.
2. Substance Use and Peer Recovery provides vital support for adolescents and adults striving for
   long-term recovery and wellness.
3. Cohen Military Family Clinic provides timely access to quality outpatient mental health
   counseling for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.
4. Early Childhood Home Visiting services equip parents with the tools and knowledge to support
   their children’s on-time development, health, and school readiness.
5. Team Up Mentoring supports youth ages 6-17 by connecting them with caring adult role models
   who foster resilience, strengthen protective factors, and inspire academic achievement.
6. Birthing Doula services provide vital physical and emotional support during pregnancy, childbirth,
   and postpartum.
7. Foster Care and Adoption provides a safe, nurturing home where children who have experienced trauma can heal and grow.
8. Sponsored Homes supports adults with developmental disabilities by providing personalized,
   community-based residential support and supervision, fostering independence, and enriching both their lives and the community as a whole.
9. Financial Stewardship & Payee Services manages Social Security and Veteran benefits
   payments for eligible beneficiaries, ensuring their basic needs are consistently met while
   safeguarding their financial well-being, promoting stability, and enhancing their quality of life
   through responsible stewardship of their funds.

Roles and Responsibilities

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

Program Purpose: The Up Center is a non-profit, HUD-approved Comprehensive Housing Counseling Agency. We provide education workshops and housing counseling, including pre-purchase, foreclosure prevention, non-delinquency post-purchase, reverse mortgage, and rental counseling. We serve all clients regardless of race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, age, family status, disability, or sexual orientation/gender identity. We administer our programs in conformity with local, state, and federal anti-discrimination laws, including the federal Fair Housing Act (42 USC 3600, et seq.).

Authorization for Release of Information

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

Client Certifications | Service Agreement

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

1. I understand that the Up Center provides comprehensive housing counseling, including foreclosure mitigation counseling, after which I will receive a written action plan consisting of recommendations for handling my finances/housing concerns and possibly including referrals to other housing agencies as may be appropriate.
2. I understand that the Up Center receives Congressional funds through the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), United Way, and others, and, as such will enter client-level data into a Data Collection System and may be required to share the contents of my counseling file with Program administrators or their agents for purposes of program monitoring, compliance and evaluation.

Credit Report Authorization

I/we authorize the Up Center to access my/our Equifax/Tri-Merge credit file, with credit score as may be
required to assist me/us with my/our housing situation and then up to twelve months after file has been closed to measure service effectiveness. The Up Center will not access my credit file indiscriminately and is under no obligation to provide me/us with the credit information obtained.

Home Inspection Education Acknowledgement

Housing and Financial Counseling Department

Personal Information Client Intake Form

Note: If you have an impairment, disability, language barrier, or otherwise require an alternative means of completing this form or accessing information about housing counseling, please talk to your housing counselor about arranging alternative accommodations.

Additional Income

Does anyone in your house receive any of the following? Check a box for each.