82 FR 24988 - Housing Counseling Certification Examination Availability and Change To Certification Examination Cost

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 103 (May 31, 2017)

This notice follows publication of the ``Housing Counseling: New Certification Requirements'' final rule, issued on December 14, 2016, which requires that HUD announce the availability of the Housing Counselor Examination and start the 36-month time-period for individuals and Housing Counseling Agencies to come into compliance with the final rule's certification requirements. The final rule also noted that HUD would provide notice of any changes to the cost of the Housing Counselor Examination. Through this notice, HUD is announcing that the HUD Certified Housing Counselor Examination will be available starting on August 1, 2017, and that as of August 1, 2020, housing counseling required by or provided in connection with HUD programs may only be provided by HUD certified housing counselors working for participating agencies approved to provide such housing counseling by HUD's Office of Housing Counseling. This notice also announces a reduction to the cost of the Housing Counselor Examination.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24988-24989]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11213]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5339-N-05]


Housing Counseling Certification Examination Availability and 
Change To Certification Examination Cost

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the HUD Certified Housing Counselor 
Examination.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice follows publication of the ``Housing Counseling: 
New Certification Requirements'' final rule, issued on December 14, 
2016, which requires that HUD announce the availability of the Housing 
Counselor Examination and start the 36-month time-period for 
individuals and Housing Counseling Agencies to come into compliance 
with the final rule's certification requirements. The final rule also 
noted that HUD would provide notice of any changes to the cost of the 
Housing Counselor Examination. Through this notice, HUD is announcing 
that the HUD Certified Housing Counselor Examination will be available 
starting on August 1, 2017, and that as of August 1, 2020, housing 
counseling required by or provided in connection with HUD programs may 
only be provided by HUD certified housing counselors working for 
participating agencies approved to provide such housing counseling by 
HUD's Office of Housing Counseling. This notice also announces a 
reduction to the cost of the Housing Counselor Examination.

DATES: Availability of HUD Certified Housing Counselor Examination: 
August 1, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorraine Griscavage-Frisbee at Office 
of Housing Counseling, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 302 Carson Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101, 
telephone number 702-366-2126 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons 
with hearing or speech challenges may access this number through TTY by 
calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Questions 
can also be addressed to Lorraine Griscavage-Frisbee, Office of Housing 
Counseling, at [email protected]. Please include ``Housing 
Counseling Program: Certification Examination'' in the subject line of 
the email.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 
U.S.C. 1701x) (Section 106) was amended by Subtitle D of title XIV of 
the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Public 
Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376, approved July 21, 2010) to strengthen and 
improve the effectiveness of housing counseling that is required under 
or provided in connection with HUD programs (Section 106 amendments). 
The Section 106 amendments require that individuals providing housing 
counseling required under or provided in connection with HUD programs 
be certified by taking and passing an examination administered by HUD's 
Office of Housing Counseling (HUD certified housing counselors) (12 
U.S.C. 1701x(e)). On December 14, 2016, HUD published a final rule 
implementing the Section 106 certification requirements. The final rule 
states, in part, that within 36 months of the issuance of the 
certification examination housing counseling required by or in 
connection with HUD programs may only be provided by HUD certified 
housing counselors working for HUD-approved housing counseling agencies 
(HCAs) \1\

[[Page 24989]]

that are approved to provide such housing counseling by HUD's Office of 
Housing Counseling. See 81 FR 90632. The final rule also provided that 
the cost for taking the examination would be $100 for online testing at 
the examinee's location and $140 at a proctoring site, and any future 
changes to the cost would be announced by Federal Register notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ HUD-approved organizations, intermediaries, multistate 
organizations, state housing finance agencies, and their branches 
and affiliates (collectively referred to as Housing Counseling 
Agencies, or HCAs).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice announces the availability of the certification 
examination beginning August 1, 2017. This Notice also provides the 
deadline of August 1, 2020 (36 months) within which all housing 
counselors and HCAs must satisfy the certification requirements in the 
final rule. This notice also announces that the cost for taking the 
examination has been reduced. The cost for online testing at the 
examinee's location will now be $60 and at a proctoring site the cost 
will be $100. Information about the examination, including 
registration, costs, and examination locations is available at 
www.hudhousingcounselors.com.
    As required by Section 106 and HUD's regulations, as of August 1, 
2020, housing counseling required by or in connection with HUD programs 
may only be provided by HUD certified housing counselors working for 
HCAs that are approved to provide such housing counseling by HUD's 
Office of Housing Counseling.

II. Tribes

    As HUD noted in the final rule, application of the of the Section 
106 certification examination requirements will only apply to Indian 
tribes and tribal entities after HUD undergoes tribal consultation and 
addresses the participation of tribes in HUD's Housing Counseling 
Program in future rulemaking or guidance, as appropriate.

    Dated: May 24, 2017.
Genger M. Charles,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.
[FR Doc. 2017-11213 Filed 5-30-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P