As I help Summit Partner Anthony Curcio prepare for the panel on “The Evolving Need for Housing Counseling” he is moderating on September 27 at the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) Conference, I am reminded of the important challenges housing counselors will face over the next few years.

At Summit, in addition to serving our federal and commercial clients, we strive to serve society. One way we achieve this is by improving programs that promote socio-economic goals, such as community development and fair lending analytics. I have a personal interest—dating back to the financial crisis—in housing counseling for mortgagors.

What is housing counseling? How can borrowers use housing counseling to their advantage? And what are some of the trends in the industry?

When times are good and delinquency rates are low, it's easy to ignore the tools at our disposal to help keep borrowers current on their mortgages and in their homes.