Under the Housing Counseling statute, the Office of Housing Counseling (OHC) must contract with one entity to develop training and certification testing for housing counselors. HUD’s Contracting Office published a market research notice in FEDBIZOPPS on June 18, 2013. The OHC reviewed the responses to identify a qualified certified 8(a) small business entity registered with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct business with the federal government. HUD awarded a contract to Bixal Solutions, Inc.

Only staff that provides housing counseling to clients under HUD’s Housing Counseling Program must be certified.

The Dodd-Frank Act only requires that HUD-approved counselors demonstrate competency in six areas as evidenced by passing an examination. However, HUD approved agencies and counselors may choose to specialize in certain areas as reflected in their official counseling work plans. All counselors are required by HUD Handbook 7610.1, Rev.5 Sections 3-5(E) and 3-12, to make a knowledgeable referral to another agency that does provide the type of counseling that its clients might need, based on the initial counseling intake, and note the referral in the client's file.

Under the statute, all counselors providing housing counseling in connection with HUD programs must be certified. Additionally, under the statute, to become certified a counselor must successfully pass the HUD Certification Examination and, under HUD’s proposed rule, be employed by a HUD participating housing counseling agency. OHC is considering allowing individuals to take the HUD Certification Exam but elect not to become certified.

Yes, HECM Housing Counselors will be required to successfully pass both the HECM exam and the HUD Certification Exam. The Dodd Frank Act requirement that all counselors who provide homeownership and rental counseling be certified applies even to those counselors who provide HECM counseling exclusively. All HECM Roster requirements continue to apply, thus HECM counselors must take the HECM exam in order to provide HECM counseling. See Mortgage Letter 2009-47.

There will not be an expiration date on the certification. Under the Proposed Rule, Housing Counselors will not have to recertify. Under the Proposed Rule, a counselor will need to successfully pass the Housing Counseling Certification Exam once to become certified.

Housing counselors are encouraged to educate themselves on the Dodd-Frank Act competency topics. National and regional training providers may offer training on these competency topics. These classes will not be specifically designed to prepare counselors for the HUD Housing Counselor Certification Examination but will educate counselors on the six competency topics. Please visit HUD’s website for Training resources.

Housing counselors are not required to attend training to become certified. Training is not required, but will be offered to assist counselors in preparing for the examination.

HUD will offer training specific to the HUD Certification Examination through one designated entity. The Dodd-Frank Act mandates HUD use only one training entity. This training should be available on or before publication of the Final Rule.

See Answer #12. However, HUD is specifically exploring on-line testing.