‘‘(xi) section 502(h)(4)(B) of the 
Housing 
Act 
of 
1949 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1472(h)(4)(B)); and 
‘‘(xii) section 508 of the Housing and 
Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 
U.S.C. 1701z–7). 
‘‘(C) RENTAL
HOUSING
COUNSELING.— 
For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘rent-
al housing counseling’ means counseling related 
to rental of residential property, which may in-
clude counseling regarding future homeowner-
ship opportunities and providing referrals for 
renters and prospective renters to entities pro-
viding counseling and shall include counseling 
related to such topics that is provided pursuant 
to— 
‘‘(i) section 105(a)(20) of the Housing 
and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(20)); 
‘‘(ii) in the United States Housing 
Act of 1937— 
‘‘(I) section 9(e) (42 U.S.C. 
1437g(e)); 
‘‘(II) section 18(a)(4)(D) (42 
U.S.C. 1437p(a)(4)(D));
‘‘(III) 
section 
23(c)(4) 
(42 
U.S.C. 1437u(c)(4)); 
‘‘(IV) section 32(e)(4) (42 U.S.C. 
1437z–4(e)(4)); 
‘‘(V) section 33(d)(2)(B) (42 
U.S.C. 1437z–5(d)(2)(B)); and 
‘‘(VI) 
section 
302(b)(6) 
(42 
U.S.C. 1437aaa–1(b)(6)); 
‘‘(iii) section 233(b)(2) of the Cran-
ston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
Act (42 U.S.C. 12773(b)(2)); 
‘‘(iv) section 106 of the Housing and 
Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 
U.S.C. 1701x); 
‘‘(v) section 422(b)(6) of the Cran-
ston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
Act (42 U.S.C. 12872(b)(6)); 
‘‘(vi) section 491(b)(1)(F)(iii) of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 11408(b)(1)(F)(iii)); 
‘‘(vii) 
sections 
202(3) 
and 
810(b)(2)(A) of the Native American 
Housing and Self-Determination Act of 
1996 (25 U.S.C. 4132(3), 4229(b)(2)(A)); 
and
‘‘(viii) the rental assistance program 
under section 8 of the United States Hous-
ing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f). 
‘‘(2) STANDARDS FOR MATERIALS.—The Sec-
retary, in conjunction with the advisory committee 
established under section 4(g)(4) of the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 
3533(g)(4), shall establish standards for materials 
and forms to be used, as appropriate, by organiza-
tions providing homeownership counseling services, 
including any recipients of assistance pursuant to 
subsection (a)(4). 
‘‘(3) MORTGAGE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS.— 
‘‘(A) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide for the certification of various computer 
software programs for consumers to use in eval-
uating different residential mortgage loan pro-
posals. The Secretary shall require, for such 
certification, that the mortgage software sys-
tems take into account— 
‘‘(i) the consumer’s financial situation 
and the cost of maintaining a home, in-
cluding insurance, taxes, and utilities;
‘‘(ii) the amount of time the consumer 
expects to remain in the home or expected 
time to maturity of the loan; 
‘‘(iii) such other factors as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate to assist the 
consumer in evaluating whether to pay 
points, to lock in an interest rate, to select 
an adjustable or fixed rate loan, to select 
a conventional or government-insured or 
guaranteed loan and to make other choices 
during the loan application process. 
If the Secretary determines that available exist-
ing software is inadequate to assist consumers 
during the residential mortgage loan application 
process, the Secretary shall arrange for the de-
velopment by private sector software companies 
of new mortgage software systems that meet 
the Secretary’s specifications. 
‘‘(B) USE
AND
INITIAL
AVAILABILITY.— 
Such certified computer software programs 
shall be used to supplement, not replace, hous-
ing counseling. The Secretary shall provide that 
such programs are initially used only in connec-
tion with the assistance of housing counselors 
certified pursuant to subsection (e).
‘‘(C) AVAILABILITY.—After a period of ini-
tial availability under subparagraph (B) as the 
Secretary considers appropriate, the Secretary 
shall take reasonable steps to make mortgage 
software systems certified pursuant to this 
paragraph widely available through the Internet 
and at public locations, including public librar-
ies, senior-citizen centers, public housing sites, 
offices of public housing agencies that admin-
ister rental housing assistance vouchers, and 
housing counseling centers. 
‘‘(4) NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE MULTIMEDIA 
CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE HOUSING COUNSELING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director of Hous-
ing Counseling shall develop, implement, and 
conduct national public service multimedia cam-
paigns designed to make persons facing mort-
gage 
foreclosure, 
persons 
considering 
a 
subprime mortgage loan to purchase a home, el-
derly persons, persons who face language bar-
riers, low-income persons, and other potentially 
vulnerable consumers aware that it is advisable, 
before seeking or maintaining a residential 
mortgage loan, to obtain homeownership coun-
seling from an unbiased and reliable sources
and that such homeownership counseling is 
available, including through programs spon-
sored by the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development. 
‘‘(B) CONTACT INFORMATION.—Each seg-
ment of the multimedia campaign under sub-
paragraph (A) shall publicize the toll-free tele-
phone number and web site of the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development through 
which persons seeking housing counseling can 
locate a housing counseling agency in their 
State that is certified by the Secretary of Hous-
ing and Urban Development and can provide 
advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, 
foreclosures, credit issues, and reverse mort-
gages. 
‘‘(C) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary, not to exceed 
$3,000,000 for fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 
2010, for the develop, implement, and conduct 
of national public service multimedia campaigns 
under this paragraph. 
‘‘(5) EDUCATION
PROGRAMS.—The Secretary 
shall provide advice and technical assistance to
States, units of general local government, and non-
profit organizations regarding the establishment and 
operation of, including assistance with the develop-
ment of content and materials for, educational pro-
grams to inform and educate consumers, particularly 
those most vulnerable with respect to residential 
mortgage loans (such as elderly persons, persons 
facing language barriers, low-income persons, and 
other potentially vulnerable consumers), regarding 
home mortgages, mortgage refinancing, home equity 
loans, and home repair loans.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS
TO GRANT PRO-
GRAM
FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP COUNSELING ORGANIZA-
TIONS.—Section 106(c)(5)(A)(ii) of the Housing and 
Urban 
Development 
Act 
of 
1968 
(12 
U.S.C. 
1701x(c)(5)(A)(ii)) is amended— 
(1) in subclause (III), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in subclause (IV) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by inserting after subclause (IV) the fol-
lowing new subclause: 
‘‘(V) notify the housing or mort-
gage applicant of the availability of
mortgage software systems provided 
pursuant to subsection (g)(3).’’. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE. 
Section 106(a) of the Housing and Urban Develop-
ment Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(a)(3)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTAL COUNSELING 
ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
financial assistance available under this paragraph 
to States, units of general local governments, and 
nonprofit organizations providing homeownership or 
rental counseling (as such terms are defined in sub-
section (g)(1)). 
‘‘(B) QUALIFIED
ENTITIES.—The Secretary 
shall establish standards and guidelines for eligibility 
of organizations (including governmental and non-
profit organizations) to receive assistance under this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(C) DISTRIBUTION.—Assistance made avail-
able under this paragraph shall be distributed in a 
manner that encourages efficient and successful 
counseling programs. 
‘‘(D) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated
$45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
2011 for— 
‘‘(i) the operations of the Office of Hous-
ing Counseling of the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development; 
‘‘(ii) the responsibilities of the Secretary 
under paragraphs (2) through (5) of subsection 
(g); and 
‘‘(iii) assistance pursuant to this para-
graph for entities providing homeownership and 
rental counseling.’’. 
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENTS TO USE HUD-CERTIFIED COUN-
SELORS UNDER HUD PROGRAMS. 
Section 106(e) of the Housing and Urban Develop-
ment Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(e)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT FOR ASSISTANCE.—An or-
ganization may not receive assistance for counseling 
activities under subsection (a)(1)(iii), (a)(2), (a)(4), 
(c), or (d) of this section, or under section 101(e), 
unless the organization, or the individuals through 
which the organization provides such counseling, has 
been certified by the Secretary under this subsection 
as competent to provide such counseling.’’;
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and for certifying organi-
zations’’ before the period at the end of the 
first sentence; and 
(B) in the second sentence by striking ‘‘for 
certification’’ and inserting ‘‘, for certification 
of an organization, that each individual through 
which the organization provides counseling shall 
demonstrate, and, for certification of an indi-
vidual,’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘organiza-
tions and’’ before ‘‘individuals’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (5); and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENT UNDER HUD PROGRAMS.— 
Any homeownership counseling or rental housing 
counseling (as such terms are defined in subsection 
(g)(1)) required under, or provided in connection 
with, any program administered by the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development shall be pro-
vided only by organizations or counselors certified by 
the Secretary under this subsection as competent to 
provide such counseling.