Housing counselors are the frontline workers who help people stay housed in the middle of our housing crisis. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, certifies, and trains these over 4,200 counselors who work at a nationwide network of local non-profit housing counseling agencies in every state of the country. Counselors offer expert, confidential advice that is usually free or very low cost, to help consumers rebuild their credit or become more financially stable, prevent homelessness, avoid eviction or foreclosure, recover from disasters, or prepare for homeownership. Without HUD support, thousands of housing counselors stand to lose their certification and jobs.