Boats in Harbor

Homeownership & Financial Education Services

The City of Tampa’s Housing & Community Development (HCD) staff provides Homeownership/Financial Education services in the form of Pre-purchase counseling, Homebuyer Education and Post-Purchase counseling and education. Below you will find the description of each of the topics and how to contact our office.

Pre-Purchase Counseling

Prepares an individual for Home purchase by providing the following services:

  • Budget Preparation / Budgeting Tools
  • Credit evaluation and Credit counseling
  • Discussion of different mortgage products
  • Discussion of different down payment assistance funding
  • Home inspection information
  • Fair Housing information

The link below will take you to a downloadable Pre-purchase Packet which can be printed and filled out prior to your appointment.

Pre-purchase Client Packet

Homebuyer Education

An 8 hour class prepares an individual to purchase a home. Class topics are:

  • Are You Ready to Buy a Home?
  • Managing Your Money
  • Understanding Credit
  • Obtaining a Mortgage Loan
  • Shopping for a Home
  • Protecting your Investment

After the completion of this class, participant will receive a certificate which is valid for any available down payment assistance programs (please see Mortgage Assistance Program - MAP for information regarding the City of Tampa’s Down payment assistance). The certificate is valid for two years from course completion date.

Post-Purchase Education

Provides ongoing support to homeowners once they are in their homes to ensure homeownership sustainability by providing the following services:

  • Learn core concept of Financial capability
  • Classes on home maintenance and preventative care
  • Classes on the importance of community involvement

Post- Purchase Counseling - provides ongoing support to homeowners by with face to face sessions to specifically cover the three core concepts in post-purchase counseling which are financial capability, Home maintenance and preventative care and the importance of community involvement. Post-purchase counseling will include capturing financial snapshots of the homeowner’s current financial situation and providing coaching to assist in building the necessary emergency and repair savings necessary to maintain their new home. All three of the topics are accompanied with educational sessions.

Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Program (FPA)

The City of Tampa's Housing & Community Development (HCD) has approximately $150,000 in funding to assist households that are in risk of foreclosure and/or if foreclosure action has already been filed.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
• The homeowner(s) must have a household budget that indicates the mortgage is sustainable
• Assistance through the FPA will remove the property from foreclosure
• The property must be within the City limits
• The property must be owner-occupied
• Property taxes must be current
• Must have a qualified hardship
– Loss of employment
– Sudden medical expenses
– Divorce or separation
– Death in the family
– Unforeseen home repair

Terms:
• Maximum Award: Up to $15,000 per household; is calculated based off the amount needed to cure delinquency of the mortgage
• Deferred Payment Loan secured by a mortgage and note
• 0% interest
• Forgiveness: Varies, based on the amount of assistance
• Repayment: Not required as long as the homeowner follows the terms of the mortgage and note
• Must be at or below 80% AMI (click link below for income eligibility chart)

Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Program Flyer

Please contact our office for any additional information or to set up an appointment with our department. Please contact us at (813) 274-7954.