Center for Working Families

The Center for Working Families empowers individuals to break down barriers and obtain economic equality through education, self-reliance and a greater understanding of financial tools and services available to them. 

Comprehensive Housing Advising

Comprehensive Housing Advising Program provides clients with one-on-one sessions that assist them in working through housing-related issues – and meet their housing goals. The services provided include information, advice and assistance in areas such as pre and post-purchase advising, mortgage default advising, financial management and other forms of housing assistance.

Through the Comprehensive Housing Advising Program, the Urban League addresses the housing needs of all residents of the seven counties we serve. The Central Florida Urban League is HUD-certified as a Comprehensive Housing Advising Agency. The agency assists clients in locating safe and affordable housing, while also working to prevent homelessness.

Budget and Credit Advising

The ability to maximize available financial resources is a skill broadly needed today. The Urban League works to increase the self-sufficiency of all its clients. Budgeting and credit advising have become an integral part of all Urban League housing programs. Developing a budget, looking at spending habits, reducing existing debt, and developing savings strategies are some of the areas covered in this program. Advising generally ranges from three to six months.

Homebuyer Education

Through local partnerships, we help homebuyers learn how to purchase and maintain a home. Seminars are free and open to the public. Seminar participants learn about down payment assistance programs and a variety of other affordable housing loan programs. Owning a home is the dream of many Americans. However, buying a house is a daunting prospect for many first-time buyers. Buying a home often means dealing with real estate agents, brokers, appraisers, builders, inspectors, lawyers, and bankers.

The purpose of the Home Buyers' Education program is to teach potential home buyers the process of buying a house and to make them more knowledgeable about what to look for and the things to consider when buying a home.

Homebuyer Education-Curriculum

The path to homeownership begins with free financial literacy workshops at the Urban League using Freddie Mac's CreditSmart curriculum. The CreditSmart curriculum, currently being rolled out nationally, is designed to educate consumers about credit and money management, provide insight into how lenders access credit histories, and explain the role of credit in achieving financial goals, such as home ownership.

The most frequent request for assistance by potential homebuyers is regarding credit issues. Once that barrier is demystified, participants can then move toward their goal of homeownership with greater clarity and confidence. The Central Florida Urban League provides a full year schedule of all Homebuyer Education Seminars with times, date, language and location. These classes will not exceed 50 participants per session and are held in Spanish, English, Creole and Hearing Impaired.