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.  
 

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.  
 

For 25 years, Memphis, Tennessee's United Housing, Inc., has built and renovated hundreds of homes, while helping individuals with everything from repair loans to down payment assistance.

For 25 years, Memphis, Tennessee's United Housing, Inc., has built and renovated hundreds of homes, while helping individuals with everything from repair loans to down payment assistance.

Kerri-Ann Griffith had just returned to her apartment in the Germantown neighborhood after an evening out with friends when the lights started to blink. Then the howling started. She grabbed her cat, Jaeda. "We were both screaming."

Payday and auto title loans offer a quick way to get money, but they come at a high cost. To make matters worse, they often must be repaid in a matter of weeks. Across the country, 12 million adults use payday loans annually, according to a study by Pew Charitable Trusts.

The regular, thorough organizational assessments required of all nonprofits wanting to become and stay members of the NeighborWorks network is daunting. There is no denying it: The process requires significant staff time and is both demanding and rigorous. But it is a compelling point of differentiation for funders and policymakers, and many organizations have discovered a variety of internal benefits that have made them champions of the requirement.