The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approves nonprofit and government agencies across the country to provide free or low-cost housing counseling. These agencies are independent from lenders — their job is to advise you, not the bank — and their services are available to homeowners, renters, and prospective buyers regardless of income. Find agencies near you by selecting your state below.

For homeowners who are behind on mortgage payments or facing foreclosure, a HUD-certified counselor is often the most important first call. Counselors can do some or all of the following:

Review your mortgage documents, income, and expenses to map out your real options
Communicate directly with your mortgage servicer on your behalf
Help you request and prepare for a loan modification, repayment plan, or forbearance
Explain how foreclosure works in your state and what deadlines apply to your situation
Connect you with state and local assistance programs, emergency funds, and legal aid
Help you understand whether keeping your home is financially realistic — and if not, guide you through alternatives like short sales or deeds in lieu

Sessions are confidential. Many agencies offer counseling by phone, so distance from an office is not a barrier. Services are free for most homeowners; some agencies charge nominal (minimal) fees to income-qualified clients for certain services.

How to find a counselor — skip the list if you need help now

The fastest way to find a currently approved agency near you is through HUD's official locator or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's tool, both of which pull from live data:

Call HUD's free counseling referral line: (800) 569-4287 — available to connect you with a counselor in your area, no appointment needed.
Online locator: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/find-a-housing-counselor/ — search by zip code, filter by services offered (foreclosure prevention, rental counseling, pre-purchase, etc.), and find agencies that serve your language.
HUD's direct agency search: https://www.hud.gov/findacounselor.

Because agency locations, phone numbers, and HUD approval status change, these live tools will always be more current than any printed list.

Find HUD-certified agencies by state

The pages below list HUD-approved agencies by city for each state with additional programs also noted for each state. Note that agency details may have changed since each page was last updated — always confirm hours and contact information before visiting.

HUD counseling for renters

HUD-certified agencies also help renters. Services typically include help understanding tenant rights, navigating lease disputes, avoiding eviction, and locating affordable housing. Some agencies can also connect renters to Section 8 programs and homebuyer education if long-term homeownership is a goal.

Avoiding scams

HUD-certified counselors do not charge for foreclosure prevention counseling. If anyone asks for an upfront fee to modify your loan, save your home, or connect you with a government program, that is a scam — not a HUD agency. You can verify whether an agency is currently HUD-approved using the locator tools above.

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