SAVE THE DATE: 4TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY FESTIVAL
JUNE 14, 2025 | 2-8PM | FESTIVAL PARK | PORTSMOUTH, VA

Housing Services

The Urban League of Hampton Roads offers counseling and workshops designed to safeguard homeownership and prevent homelessness in underserved communities.

Our programs educate and empower individuals and families seeking to expand their housing options. Our counselors are certified by the Virginia Association of Housing Counselors and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provide information and access to affordable housing in the cities that we serve. In 2023, ULHR invested over $9.6M through SPARC funds for nearly 677 clients who gained practical homebuying knowledge from lenders, real estate agents, and inspectors to become first-time homebuyers.

By the Numbers

40% of the homeless population is African American.

32% is the income disparity between African American and White households in the U.S.

How we empower homebuyers and renters:

Pre-Purchase Counseling

Our programs educate individuals about the home buying process and explore wealth building opportunities through homeownership. We have special resources available to support first time homebuyers.

Budget and Credit Counseling

We analyze factors that might impact home-buying and/or renting readiness such as credit history and available funds. Together, we can work towards effective budget management, create personal spending plans and improve your overall financial health.

Rental Counseling

We help renters secure permanent, safe, and affordable housing.

Foreclosure Prevention

We identify options to refinance your home or resolve mortgage delinquency issues through our foreclosure prevention services.

Pre-Purchase Housing Success Stories

With the support of the Urban League’s Housing Program and its extensive resources, our client successfully achieved her goal of purchasing her first home in Suffolk. After navigating a divorce and working diligently to repair her credit, she secured a beautiful home valued at $269,000. Through our SPARC Program, she benefited from a 1% reduction in her interest rate.

Working from home allows her to care for her two adorable dogs while managing her new responsibilities. She also participated in our First-Time Homebuyer’s Class, where she learned about the importance of her credit score and developed a budget and savings plan to facilitate her home purchase. She plans to return in January for a post-purchase counseling session to ensure she stays on track with her affordable budget.

With the help of the Urban League’s Housing Program and extensive resources, our client achieved her life-long dream and successfully purchased a 3-bedroom home in Hampton, Virginia valued at $187,000.

Working two jobs and sharing an apartment with her daughter, her goal was to overcome credit issues related to a past bankruptcy. She took advantage of our First Time Homebuyer’s Class where she learned the importance of understanding her credit score and developed a budget and savings plan to help purchase her new home.

Recent News

Homeownership Workshop at NSU Sparks Student Interest and Next Steps

On March 24 and March 26, 2025, the Urban League of Hampton Roads hosted Homeownership Workshops at Norfolk State University, bringing essential housing knowledge to a group of eight engaged participants. Among them were five NSU students exploring the pathway to first-time homeownership.

Our housing program is made possible by the generous support of our partners.

We're here to help!

If you or someone you know needs help with housing services, please contact our Housing Director, Oneida Cary, at the Urban League of Hampton Roads for service and support.

