The federal government is launching a campaign on Zillow to help provide housing counseling services to more Americans.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday also will publish a new final rule in the Federal Register to expand accepted communication methods for counseling clients.
Zillow advertising partnership
Zillow is estimated to reach more than 200 million users per month, and the partnership includes advertising for HUD’s “Let’s Make Home the Goal” campaign that launched last year.
Zillow will feature advertising on its website for the campaign, which is designed to generate “awareness of the availability and benefits of pre-purchase housing counseling provided by HUD-certified housing counselors and is designed to reach communities of color that have historically faced more difficulties with the homebuying process due to systemic barriers,” the department said.
Access to these counseling services can help bridge both the racial homeownership and knowledge gaps for both first-time homebuyers and communities of color who are seeking to navigate the home purchase environment.
The campaign has reached roughly 5 million “diverse, prospective homebuyers” across 15 media markets since launching in June 2023, and HUD expects this new Zillow arrangement to reach as many as 8 million potential homeowners across 42 distinct media markets.
“At Zillow, we are committed to getting more people home,” said Jennifer Butler, VP of government affairs at Zillow. “We were founded with a focus on transparency and providing access to the data and information needed to find housing. We’re expanding on that foundation by helping consumers get connected to the right resources, helping to reduce the barriers they face to securing affordable housing.”
David Berenbaum, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary of housing counseling, lauded the partnership for its potential to meet HUD’s counseling goals.
“We are thrilled to partner with Zillow to expand our reach and tout the importance of comprehensive housing counseling services,” Berenbaum said. “This collaboration allows us to use Zillow’s innovative platform, ensuring that more individuals and families receive the support they need to achieve their housing goals.”
New final rule on counseling accessibility
Published in the Federal Register on Monday, the “Modernizing the Delivery of Housing Counseling Services” final rule now allows HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to use a broader swath of communication methods with counseling clients.
These include “meeting virtually and by phone, to engage and educate homebuyers and renters seeking support with their housing needs,” the department said. It’s expected that the implementation of this rule will enable increased accessibility for people who may face challenges with receiving such services in-person, with some cited challenges including linguistic, physical or geographic barriers, transportation costs, or who may have other obligations like childcare.
“Expanding these options is also a more cost-effective and efficient way for housing counseling agencies to meet with their clients, as they no longer need to maintain multiple facilities for in-person engagements,” HUD explained. “Participating agencies that are unable to provide virtual and/or remote meeting flexibilities or in person counseling to clients who need them are required to refer those in need of services to other agencies.”
The final rule is slated to go into effect on Oct. 16. It was originally proposed in Oct. 2023, and received notable support from stakeholders during the public comment period that ended that December. HUD alluded to that support in Tuesday’s announcement.
“Industry and public feedback on the rule indicated an overwhelming preference to be able to provide online education and counseling virtually or by telephone,” the department said.
HUD leaders explained the reasoning behind both of these moves to expand counseling access.
“Every day, HUD’s counselors provide thousands of Americans with trusted advice about buying a home, avoiding foreclosure, and locating and sustaining affordable housing. But we know we can help even more people” said Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman. “Today’s announcements will help us do just that. Together, we will reach a new generation of homeowners, help more families build generational wealth, and continue our work to help Americans historically left out of the homebuying process.”
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Julia Gordon added that broader access to counseling will help HUD in pursuit of its core mission.
“We’re excited to raise awareness about the availability and benefits of housing counseling,” Gordon said. “These initiatives make it easier for households to access the assistance they need to navigate the homebuying process or to secure safe, affordable and stable housing.”