PACDC applauds Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5) for submitting a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson urging the agency to extend the August 1, 2020 deadline for housing counseling certification for a year to August 2021. The letter was co-signed by all three Philadelphia Congressmembers including Representative Dwight Evans (PA-3) and Brendan Boyle (PA-2) as well as several other members of Congress.

The COVID-19 crisis has made it difficult for housing counselors to prepare for and take the certification tests, which they must pass in order to continue working after August 1st, regardless of how many years of experience they bring to their positions. The COVID-19 crisis will lead to an overwhelming need for additional housing counseling staff capacity to help renters avoid eviction, help homeowners avoid foreclosure, and support our economic recovery by counseling and supporting first time home buyers. Extending the deadline will give housing counseling agencies and their staff additional time to focus on serving renters and homeowners during this crisis.