ABOUT US
Our Mission
The mission of the Washington Homeownership Resource Center (WHRC) is to increase and preserve homeownership in Washington state by educating and empowering current and future homeowners.
Our Work
Through our hotline, website, and online portal, we provide our clients with personalized information and referral to vetted homeownership supports, including:
- Homebuyer assistance programs
- Pre-purchase education and counseling
- Mortgage and property tax foreclosure intervention counseling
- Reverse mortgage counseling
- Owner-occupied repair assistance
- Post-purchase education and assistance
- Legal aid
- Credit Counseling
In addition to working with homeowners to help them meet their homeownership goals, WHRC works closely with elected officials, government agencies, lenders,
and community organizations to advocate for resources, programs, and protections to support homeowners across Washington.
As a 501(c)3 organization, we are community-supported and financed through government grants, corporate philanthropic contributions, and individual donations. This support allows us to provide unbiased, free information and referrals. We do not accept payment from any lending or real estate professional to be on our referral list nor do we charge clients for our services.
WHRC is not a lender or loan servicer. We do not make loans or provide financial assistance to clients. However, we can help homebuyers and homeowners connect with financial assistance programs when they are available.
Since 1995, WHRC has helped over 80,000 Washington homeowners to achieve the dream of homeownership or avoid foreclosure.
Our History
WHRC was founded as the Community Home Ownership Center (CHOC) in 1995 by members of the Seattle Mortgage Bankers Association, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC), and non-profit housing agencies, all of whom shared the goal of connecting the community to resources necessary to break down the barriers to successful homeownership. CHOC served as a Puget Sound-area clearinghouse of resources available to first-time homebuyers and homeowners, particularly those with low-to-moderate incomes. In 1999, CHOC expanded its service area to the entire state of Washington and launched a statewide toll-free hotline. The Community Home Ownership Center changed its name to the Washington Homeownership Resource Center (WHRC) in 2008.
With the 2008 onset of the mortgage crisis, calls to WHRC’s hotline shifted drastically from consumers seeking information on home buying to those seeking information on preventing foreclosure.
In response, WHRC added foreclosure prevention counseling and legal aid to the homeowner support services available through its hotline. In 2011, WHRC was selected to operate the statewide, toll-free foreclosure prevention hotline stipulated in the Foreclosure Fairness Act, solidifying the role of foreclosure prevention in our service portfolio.
Throughout the post-recession recovery, WHRC continues to serve the emerging needs of Washington homeowners. Preventing housing loss related to tax lien foreclosure has become a third significant referral for WHRC. Our strong referral partnerships with County Treasurers and Assessors and legal aid agencies support homeowners struggling to meet property tax obligations. As these homeowners are overwhelmingly older homeowners, we’ve developed strong partnerships with senior centers and the AARP to connect seniors to tax relief programs and to advocate for expanded tax relief for seniors.
OUR MEMBERSHIPS
