At the beginning of January, a young, single father of three arrived at Community Service Programs (CSP) of West Alabama, Inc. He was seeking rental assistance.

He had no transportation, was in between jobs and had little family or social support, shares Elisha Maston, housing counseling supervisor. "During our time with him, we discovered that he not only faced eviction, but multiple utility disconnections."

Each year, 7.6 million renters face the threat of eviction and nearly 1 million homeowners face the threat of foreclosure. NeighborWorks America's Keeping People Housed Initiative, with support from Wells Fargo, assists renters and homeowners facing financial hardships that put them in jeopardy of eviction or foreclosure.

Across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic forced small business owners to make some difficult if not impossible choices. For Michael, owner of a trade show contracting business in Philadelphia, the choice was either to lay off workers and keep his business profitable or keep his employees on payroll and figure out where else to cut corners. With the uncertainty of "unprecedented times" as his backdrop, Michael chose to keep his employees on payroll. 

Across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic forced small business owners to make some difficult if not impossible choices. For Michael, owner of a trade show contracting business in Philadelphia, the choice was either to lay off workers and keep his business profitable or keep his employees on payroll and figure out where else to cut corners. With the uncertainty of "unprecedented times" as his backdrop, Michael chose to keep his employees on payroll. 

When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017, it decimated roads, power and infrastructure. In the small community of Villalba, government workers weren't able to access the people who needed help. But volunteers and staff from Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services were already there.  

"We were the liaison," says Elizabeth Colón Rivera, Ponce's CEO. "We went to the municipality's emergency centers, offering our services and letting them know we had the resources, tools and water to help them."  

With a national network of community-based organizations and its strong partnership with the Wells Fargo Foundation, NeighborWorks America continues to support housing counseling services for renters and homeowners facing distress.  

Noelia Castro Ramirez remembers the calls she got from clients in February. They'd lost income because of the pandemic and had not been able to recover, she says. "They used their savings up to the point where there was none left." Their mortgage was three months past due. "At some point, the wife cried on the phone."

In Aurora, Illinois, Richard Carney went to The Neighbor Project (TNP) seeking assistance. His tenant couldn't pay him on time, which also put Carney in a difficult financial position.

In Aurora, Illinois, Richard Carney went to The Neighbor Project (TNP) seeking assistance. His tenant couldn't pay him on time, which also put Carney in a difficult financial position.

The client who phoned Noelia Castro Ramirez, a HUD-certified housing counselor with Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services, had already been turned down for loss mitigation by his bank. He had written up a budget and submitted it, she says. But the budget didn't show that he could cover his monthly loan payments.