Programs
Financial Literacy
Harlem Park East CDC believes that homeownership is a path to wealth creation and therefore our focus is readying people for homeownership. We believe that understanding your own financial situation is a prerequisite to achieve control over your financial future. Our program has been developed to empower people to change their lives by practicing good financial habits. At the completion of our program you will:
- Have a clear understanding of basic financial terms and concepts so that you can make effective decisions about your finances; and
- Understand the importance and discipline necessary to set financial goals and create realistic budgets.
Our program will also cover what you can do now to boost your credit, as well as creating a plan to help you spend less and save more.
Pre Purchase Home Buyer Education Workshop
Harlem Park East CDC homebuyer workshop are provided to individuals who are considering purchasing a home. The program helps homebuyers prepare for purchasing a home and the many new challenges of being a homeowner. The workshops cover topics such as budget, credit, shopping for a home, the mortgage application process, settlement, avoiding foreclosure and much more. Our program utilizes professional who work in and are familiar with the homebuying process and are available to provide key information and practical advice. You must register for our workshops in advance.
Homeownership Counseling
Harlem Park East CDC is a source for one-on-one home ownership counseling for potential homebuyers. Through HUD approved homeownership counseling, families receive information and are able to get questions answered about the homebuying process and about being a homeowner. This counseling provides a time for individuals to meet with a counselor. In the one on one, homebuyers can confidentially discuss and address issues that exclusively pertain to their personal situation. A counselor will go over all options to help prepare the client for homeownership.
Weatherization Assistance
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is the nation’s core program for delivering energy efficiency services to low-income households. The WAP goal is to reduce energy costs to low-income persons by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring their health and safety. Professionally trained weatherization crews perform on-site home energy audits using state-of-the-art equipment to identify outside drafts and inspect heating systems for efficiency.
Weatherization crews install insulation, seal off air leaks, and make modifications to (or replace) existing heating systems. Once installed, these energy-saving measures help to reduce heating and cooling costs for years to come.
To be eligible for this benefit program, you must be a resident of Maryland. Preference may be given to:
- People over 60 years of age
- Families with one or more members with a disability
- Families with children (in most states)
Under DOE guidelines, you are automatically eligible to receive weatherization assistance if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
Harlem Park East CDC is a source to get income-qualified residents in Maryland the assistance they are entitled to under the WAP.
Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Programs
One Key part of purchasing a home is having the funds available for down payment and closing on that home. DHD can help you to obtain closing cost assistance through various programs. Many of the programs offer low cost or no cost loans to help borrowers with the purchase of their home.
Tree Equity
Trees can play a significant role in the health of people, as tree covers provide shade and help cool neighborhoods. Lower temperatures also mean lower energy consumption and electricity bills. Enough trees can prevent an urban area from becoming a “heat island” — or the phenomenon that urban areas tend to have higher temperatures because they have more buildings, concrete sidewalks and asphalt streets, which absorb sunlight’s heat and more trees help increase the property value of homes. Harlem Park East CDC is coordinating with other non-profits to provide a tree to any homeowner that wishes to participate in our program.
Housing Development
Harlem Park East CDC Development is currently rehabbing and selling homes to income eligible families in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Our homes are rehabbed with quality workmanship and priced to be affordable to working class families in our area. All properties will be listed on the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) system and will be available for walk through with your realtor.