Housing Center

Way Finders is nonprofit nationally certified by HUD, CHAPA, and the NeighborWorks Nationally Industry Standards. Credit Success is a financial education program that offers educational workshops, individual support, and guidance to anyone in the community. Our program helps families and individuals reach their goals, whether they want to buy a house or a car, pay off student loan debt, or learn how to build excellent credit. 

The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a five-year program that provides supportive counseling, financial education, and credit success workshops to Way Finders' Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher participants. Participants will work one-on-one with Economic Mobility Specialists to develop an action plan for reaching their goals, whether that be to secure employment, further their education, purchase a home, or start a business. 

Way Finders serves as the regional Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) for Hampden and Hampshire counties and administers emergency financial assistance programs such a Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT). This program is designed for renters and homeowners of all household sizes to help prevent homelessness.

Renter and homeowner households who reside outside of Hampden and Hampshire counties and are looking for assistance, find your regional HCEC here.  

Way Finders' METAR team found stable housing for 107 families and individuals with an overall average of $4,000 per household provided for rehousing. 46% of households were placed in market rate apartments and the remainder found subsidized housing.

Ivelisse, who endured domestic violence, multiple threats of eviction, dependence on emergency assistance programs and a house fire that left her and her two kids homeless less than one year ago, now purchased her first home.  This is her story, in her own words:

“To be honest, never in my wildest dreams would I think a single mother of two working two jobs could be in this position. But when I promised my son on Christmas morning that I would buy him and his baby sister a house, I planned to keep that promise regardless of the obstacles I faced. 

What’s More is Less.

It’s fall in New England which brings cooler temperatures and is quickly followed by the cold New England winter.

Make the changes you need to age in place in your home - or make your home safer and more accessible for a family member - with the Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP).

If you earn less than $237,600 for a household of two, you qualify for this program.

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts awarded Way Finders a grant to provide HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) preparation classes to 15 participants in their stabilization and shelter programs, free of charge.

The Get the Lead Out Program is designed to provide low-cost financing to owners of 1-4 family properties to remove hazardous lead paint from their homes and reduce the possibility of lead poisoning in children. MassHousing is the administrating agency for this program and funding is provided by a state appropriation. Participating agencies include: Department of Housing and Community Development, Department of Public Health and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.