Landlords wanting to list their properties can acquire an application and fax it to this agency to get started. The landlord must have an adequate Internet Explorer browser with e-mail. They will receive one-on-one instructions on how to list their properties and maintain their portion of the database.

Brochures for this service have been distributed to locations where requests for affordable housing occur most often.

Additional Resources: SC Housing Search

Homebuyer Education ("Key" Program) This agency coordinates a collaborative effort of local professionals to educate first-time homebuyers so they may qualify for down-payment assistance or a low interest loan through HUD approved funding. The participant must apply for the training and attend all sessions on the class agenda in order to graduate. As a HUD approved Housing Counseling agency, this program includes pre, ongoing, and post credit counseling to ensure the success of the individual’s application for a mortgage loan and to reduce the possibility of a foreclosure.
Homebuyer Education Class Schedule
Key Program Brochure
Key Program Brochure - Spanish
Video - 'Success Stories' (79.6MB - WMV)

For more information including audios, and power point presentations, go to the Housing Fair Page .

Read more about the Key Programs beginnings in the December 2002 edition of Connections.

Housing Counseling Counseling for special needs is also offered. Staff members have been trained and certified by HUD to counsel those considering HECM (reverse mortgages), those in danger of being foreclosed on (Loss Mitigation/Foreclosure Prevention), those considering high interest loans (High Cost Loans) and those that were taken advantage of through Predatory Lending.
Foreclosure Prevention Brochure

Helpful Links:
How to Prevent Foreclosures
Protect Yourself From a Bad Home Loan

Fair Housing The staff of this agency is trained to accept, investigate, and refer for enforcement complaints where a person’s fair housing opportunities are found to have been discriminated against as prescribed by Federal and State Law. This also includes those that may have been defrauded or taken advantage of during a loan process, purchase, or re-finance.

To initiate a complaint on any housing issue, contact our office and a staff member will work with you to resolve the issue or refer you to the appropriate agency for enforcement.

This office also mediates, educates, and takes complaints on issues stemming from the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. This Act protects the rights of individuals who are disabled or have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities. These persons are not to be discriminated in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodation. See our Links page for helpful websites. For a presentation on Housing Accommodations for Disabilities, click here.

Reverse Mortgages Experts estimate that in today’s real estate market, untapped home equity exceeds 61 billion dollars. For many, this represents the greatest portion of their assets as they go into retirement. Homeowners that have reached the age of 62 can now access the equity in their home without the fear of losing their property to foreclosure. To protect seniors from potential abuse, HUD now requires counseling for anyone considering this option. This agency has two counselors certified in reverse mortgage counseling. One specializes in face-to-face counseling and the other in state-wide phone counseling through the AARP Reverse Mortgage Education Project.
Reverse Mortgage Brochure

For a quick review of this type of mortgage and how to choose a counselor, go to http://www.aarp.org/money/revmort/revmort_decisions/a2003-03-26-choosingcounselor.html

Mediation A policy of “mediation first”, where both parties accept the outcome without further action has proven to be successful in the Greenville area. This agency accepts complaints, mediates, and makes referrals where necessary when violations of employment law and landlord/tenant law are alleged.

Mediation is also the first step when discrimination is alleged in education, housing, public accommodations, and community disputes.

Police Relations Law Enforcement and the Commission have a long history of working well together to mediate disputes and discrimination complaints. This agency also has been pro-active in the dissemination of a “Law and You” brochure, (Spanish Version - PDF/2.5 MB), provided by a partner on community relations between the Police and minority communities. This also includes those that may have been defrauded or taken advantage of during a loan process, a purchase, or a re-finance.