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67 November 2024 J O U R N A L November 2024 » geography and population density. GAO conducted nongeneralizable interviews with 45 service providers and other stakeholders and 34 older adults with experiences of homelessness. In addi- tion, GAO reviewed agency documents and interviewed federal agency officials. HUD EXPANDS HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES T he U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) follows up their record-setting $16 billion in federal funding and invest- ments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and $138 million in awards grants for 18 state housing agencies to create affordable homes and expand support services for adults living with disabilities by expanding its counseling services, forming a new partnership with Zillow to attract the next genera- tion of homebuyers, and issuing a new final rule allowing additional flexibil- ities to housing counseling agencies when delivering critical services. "Every day, HUD's counselors provide thousands of Americans with trusted advice about buying a home, avoiding foreclosure, and locating and sustaining affordable housing. But we know we can help even more people," HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Tod- man said. "Together, we will reach a new generation of homeowners, help more families build generational wealth, and continue our work to help Americans historically left out of the homebuying process." Federal Housing Commissioner Ju- lia Gordon added, "We're excited to raise awareness about the availability and benefits of housing counseling. These initiatives make it easier for households to access the assistance they need to navigate the homebuying process or to secure safe, affordable, and stable housing." HUD Brings in Zillow to Expand Their Reach Zillow's 217 million monthly visitors will now see "Let's Make Home the Goal" advertisements on its digital platforms. The multiyear campaign was created to generate awareness of the availability and benefits of pre-purchase housing counsel- ing provided by HUD-certified counsel- ors, and designed to reach communities of color that have historically faced more difficulties with the homebuying process due to systemic barriers. Allowing those communities to access quality housing counseling services will help to bridge the racial homeownership and knowledge gap for first-time homebuyers and com- munities of color seeking to buy a home and build generational wealth. The "Let's Make Home the Goal" campaign was launched in June 2023 and has reached nearly five million diverse, prospective homebuyers in 15 media markets. This year's initiative, with the support of Zillow, intends to reach more than eight million potential homeowners across 42 media markets. "We are thrilled to partner with Zillow to expand our reach and tout the importance of comprehensive housing counseling services," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Housing Counseling David Berenbaum said. "This collaboration allows us to use Zillow's innovative platform, ensuring that more individu- als and families receive the support they need to achieve their housing goals." Jennifer Butler, VP of Government Affairs at Zillow commented, "At Zillow, we are committed to getting more people home. We were founded with a focus on transparency and providing access to "Every day, HUD's counselors provide thousands of Americans with trusted advice about buying a home, avoiding foreclosure, and locating and sustaining affordable housing. But we know we can help even more people." —Adrianne Todman, HUD Acting Secretary