Counselor’s Roles and Responsibilities

Reviewing your housing goals and your finances; which include your income, debts, assets, and credit history.

• Preparing a Client Action Plan that lists the steps that you and your counselor will take in order to achieve your housing goal.
• Preparing a household budget that will help you manage your debt, expenses, and savings.
• Your counselor is not responsible for achieving your housing goal, but will provide guidance and education in support of your goal.
• Neither your counselor nor YSF employees, agents, or directors may provide legal advice.

Clients Roles and Responsibilities

• Completing the steps assigned to you in your Client Action Plan.
• Providing accurate information about your income, debts, expenses, credit, and employment.
• Attending meetings, returning calls, providing requested paperwork in a timely manner.
• Notifying your counselor when changing housing goal.
• Attending educational workshop(s) (i.e. pre-purchase counseling workshop) as recommended.
• Retaining an attorney if seeking legal advice and/or representation in matters such as foreclosure or bankruptcy protection.

Termination of Services: Failure to work cooperatively with your housing counselor and/or YSF will result in the discontinuation of counseling services. This includes, but is not limited to, missing three consecutive appointments.

Agency Conduct: No YSF employee, officer, director, contractor, volunteer, or agent shall undertake any action that might result in, or create the appearance of, administering counseling operations for personal or private gain, provide preferential treatment for any person or organization, or engage in conduct that will compromise our agency’s compliance with federal regulations and our commitment to serving the best interests of our clients.

Agency Relationships: YSF has financial affiliation with local organizations, and several lenders. As a housing counseling program participant, you are not obligated to use the products and services of YSF or our industry partners.

Alternative Services, Programs, and Products & Client Freedom of Choice: YSF has a first-time homebuyer program, however, you are not obligated to participate in this or other YSF programs and services while you are receiving housing counseling from our agency.
You may consider seeking alternative products and services from entities including the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) for first-time homebuyer loan programs, the Veteran’s Administration or USDA Rural Development for first time home buyer programs. You are entitled to choose whatever real estate professionals, lenders, and lending products that best meet your needs.

Referrals and Community Resources: You will be provided a community resource list which outlines the county and regional services available to meet a variety of needs, including utilities assistance, emergency shelter, transitional housing, food banks, and legal aid assistance. This list also identifies alternative agencies that provide services, programs, or products identical to those offered by YSF and its exclusive partners and affiliates.

Privacy Policy: I/we acknowledge that I/we received a copy of YSF’s Privacy Policy.
Errors and Omissions and Disclaimer of Liability: I/we agree YSF its employees, agents, and directors are not liable for any claims and causes of action arising from errors or omissions by such parties, or related to my participation in YSF counseling; and I hereby release and waive all claims of action against YSF and its affiliates. I have read this document, understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it, and have signed it freely and without any inducement or assurance of any nature and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law. If any provision of this document is unenforceable, it shall be modified to the extent necessary to make the provision valid and binding, and the remainder of this document shall remain enforceable to the full extent allowed by law.

Quality Assurance: In order to assess client satisfaction and in compliance with grant funding requirements, YSF, or one of its partners, may contact you during or after the completion of your housing counseling service. You may be requested to complete a survey asking you to evaluate your client experience. Your survey data may be confidentially shared with YSF grantors such as the Housing Authority of Maricopa County.