Housing Services

The main goals of the housing program at CARECEN are: improved living conditions for low and medium income Latino families, improved access to affordable housing, and increased homeownership and asset creation among low and moderate income Latinos. The program meets its goals by providing counseling on a variety of housing-related issues, organizing tenant associations, and engaging in education and advocacy on behalf of tenants and their associations.



Tenant Organizing
CARECEN housing staff talking to tenants CARECEN provides technical assistance to buildings where tenants face complex housing and health code violations or are presented with the opportunity to purchase their building. CARECEN assists tenants in organizing and incorporating as tenant associations in order to effectively address housing issues. Tenants thus build a collective voice and are able to better access financial and legal resources, negotiate repairs, and stop evictions or abusive practices by landlords. They also develop leadership skills, such as facilitating meetings, contacting inspectors and other city officials, and are able to advocate for themselves before different stakeholders.


Tenant Education and Assistance
Through the housing program, tenants are informed of their rights and responsibilities as renters through individual counseling and regular meetings with existing or newly formed tenant associations. Tenants learn how to communicate with landlords to ask for repairs or respond to notices associated with renting. In some cases tenants are referred to pro-bono attorneys in order to resolve tenant-landlord disputes through legal channels. Our housing program also offers a variety of workshops on topics such as building and repairing credit, budgeting, and financial planning.


Tenant Advocacy
CARECEN acts as a liaison between city agencies and tenants assisting them in solving housing and health code violations, while preventing displacement and abuse. Tenants become familiar with housing laws and regulations, and learn how to take advantage of existing laws or advocate for changes in current policies. In many instances, CARECEN facilitates testimonies by tenants before the City Council, DC Courts, and other officials.

CASE STUDY: Housing Code Enforcement as a Component of the Equitable Development Toolkit Set.This is a PolicyLink case study that reflects CARECEN's work in tenant education, organizing and advocacy.


Promoting Homeownership
CARECEN housing staff provides first time homebuyer counseling and assists with the purchasing process, including credit and financial planning and homeownership guidelines. CARECEN also assists tenant associations through the building acquisition, rehabilitation and conversion process from rental property to affordable condos. Please visit the economic development page for more details. Our program also works to preserve existing homeownership through education and assistance to prevent foreclosure, including assessing mortgage debt, and mapping recovery plans.

Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
CARECEN helps homeowners to avoid losing their home to foreclosure and counsels them on their options, negotiate with banks, avoid foreclosure rescue scams, and help them to improve their financial management skills and in the end, hopefully save their home.