- 4/19/2024 9:00 AM
In this class we learn about the federal protections that are in place to stop unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices. We understand more about the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau activities work by collecting complaints and conducting investigations. We learn what to look for in fraudulent activities, identity theft, renter’s protection.

 - 4/20/2024 10:00 AM
This course informs and educates consumers of their rights and explain the fair housing obligations of landlords, sellers, brokers, or lenders. Under the Fair Housing Act, discrimination in housing sales, rentals, and financing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status, is unlawful. The federal fair lending laws prohibit discrimination in credit transactions, including transactions related to residential real estate and to consumer loans. It is our goal to help ensure consumers understand their rights and where to go to get assistance if fair housing or fair lending rights are ever violated.

 - 4/24/2024 1:00 PM
This meeting is for clients who are already enrolled in the MSHDA Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program with their Housing Choice Voucher, and who live in either Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, Ionia, Branch, Montcalm, Calhoun, Berrien, St. Joseph, Van Buren, or Cass county. During the Briefing Meeting, we will discuss the requirements that FSS participants need to complete in order to successfully complete the program. (Please note, this meeting is only for clients who are already enrolled in the FSS program in the counties listed. If you are not in the FSS program, please do not sign up for this meeting.)

 - 4/25/2024 6:00 PM
In the Money Management/Budgeting Workshop we discuss financial goals, various spending styles that affect credit, financial health and how inflation affects a person’s ability to pay bills on time. We give participants budgeting and spending plan tips and show how using a calendar can help people create budgets. We talk about budget basics, the difference between a quick budget, an emergency budget, and a detailed budget. We discuss calculating income and expenses and discuss what to do if you cannot pay your bills on time.

 - 4/26/2024 9:00 AM
This class focuses on determining insurance needs as renters, homeowners and in auto, health, and life insurance. We discuss how insurance products and professionals work and have a quick overview of insurance options and shopping for coverage. We discuss the preparation of tasks to help people in the event of their incapacitation and death. The long-term planning part of the class includes the consideration of asset, heirs as well as settling estate taxes.

 - 4/27/2024 10:00 AM
This class provides a simple introduction to the primary services offered by banks and credit unions, including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit and debit cards. We discuss fees and features available at different banks as well as on-line banking. The class also covers opening an account, resolving problems, the options that bank customers have and the decisions they need to make when using bank services.

 - 5/2/2024 6:00 PM
This class helps consumers increase their knowledge about credit – how to get it, why it is important and how to navigate the types of credit that is available today. We discuss what lenders are looking for in borrowers and how to establish good credit. Our discussion of credit scores and information about credit reports helps consumers understand what to do and what to avoid when working to increase scores. We discuss interest rates and how these impact credit and debt payments to creditors.

 - 5/3/2024 9:00 AM
This class provides an opportunity to talk about how communication works to develop, maintain, enrich, or limit family relationships. It is based on the assumptions that there are many ways to be a family. We promote an awareness that families are part of multigenerational communication patterns and they reflect ethnic communication patterns. Well-functioning families work at managing their communication patterns because developing and maintaining relationships takes effort. We discuss ways to be healthy emotionally, safely, financially, etc, on the inside and outside your home.

 - 5/4/2024 10:00 AM
In this class we learn about the federal protections that are in place to stop unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices. We understand more about the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau activities work by collecting complaints and conducting investigations. We learn what to look for in fraudulent activities, identity theft, renter’s protection.

 - 5/7/2024 9:00 AM
Educators from Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, joined by experts from real estate and mortgage lending institutions. Each series consists of two sessions that last about three hours each. The classes are designed to help familiarize participants with the process of purchasing and maintaining their own home. Following the class, participants meet individually with housing counselors and coaches to address their individual situation. A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who have completed both parts of a series. These classes meet the counseling requirements of national, state and local down payment assistance programs, as well as counseling requirements made by HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and a variety of other mortgage products. Courses are offered online via Zoom.