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Home Loss Prevention Program (HeLP)

The Davie County United Way (DCUW) Home Loss Prevention Program (HeLP) was instituted to provide aid to mortgage or rent relief during times of temporary need due to emergency situations such as medical problems, recent unemployment, or natural disaster. Because of the qualification criteria, this program is designed to encourage and facilitate recipients to return to self-sufficiency.

HeLP is a collaboration with Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Inc. (CCCS) and DCUW. DCUW provides the intake/screening of applicants and financial aid necessary. DCUW requires that all recipients be referred to CCCS for counseling. The following criteria must be met by all applicants:

Requirements:

The standard requirements used by the local Department of Social Services when screening applicants for any emergency/energy assistance are also used for HeLP and include three main criteria:

The applicant’s situation must be imminent/a crisis. This is measured through eviction/foreclosure notices, late notices or some proof that the need for assistance is immediate.

The applicant must have the ability to maintain any future mortgage or rent payments due. This is measured through current (or future guaranteed) income. This decisive factor carries the most weight in the decision.
The applicant’s explanation of how/why they are behind must be reasonable. This is the more subjective of the three conditions, however, it also carries a much lower weight in the decision making process than the first two criteria.

Process:

Applicants must apply through Davie County United Way after having been seen by the Department of Social Services. This ensures that the family has been evaluated for assistance with utility bills and for mortgage/rent assistance through DSS programs such as Emergency Assistance. The situation is evaluated based on the above criteria.

DCUW Limitations/Requirements:

The DCUW Home Loss Prevention Program is available from February through December. Assistance limits are currently in place quarterly with a larger amount of aid available in the first and final quarters of the year to “fill the gap” when other agencies funds have dissipated.

Each family may apply for assistance once per year. In that time period, assistance will be limited to one monthly payment to a maximum of $1,000.00. Home Loss Prevention Program recipients will be requested to complete 12 hours of volunteer time within one year (maximum of 12 hours). Recipients who have not completed their volunteer hours within one year of receiving assistance will be ineligible for additional aid the next year.

Recipients will also be referred to Consumer Credit Counseling Services Inc. for one budget counseling session as a provision of their receiving aid through this program. DCUW requires that this session be completed prior to the release of funds to the recipient's mortgage company or landlord.

Measures of Success:

Using the information provided on the contact sheet completed by the applicant at the time of assessment, DCUW staff will complete follow-up calls to each recipient to inquire of their current circumstances and to inform them of the many opportunities available for them to complete their volunteer service requirement. Follow-up calls will begin within two weeks of the applicant receiving assistance. A second call will be placed two months after assistance and will continue quarterly for one year.

From these follow-up calls DCUW will determine the percentage of families who have returned to self-sufficiency through the maintenance of valid employment and no recurring need for mortgage or rent assistance. Success will be indicated if this percentage is above 90, if 90% of all recipients hold their credit counseling session and if 50% of all recipients complete their volunteer service hours.

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