Long Island Housing Services (LIHS) is a private not-for-profit corporation and is the principal fair housing advocacy and counseling organization on Long Island. A HUD-approved and certified counseling agency since the 1970s, its primary objectives are to eliminate unlawful housing discrimination and promote decent and affordable housing through advocacy and education. LIHS pursues these goals through counseling clients in fair housing, landlord/tenant, homelessness prevention, mortgage purchase and rental strategies, and government assisted programs.
LIHS also offers homeowners aged 62 and over Reverse Mortgage counseling for federally-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) through a national network of HECM counselors approved by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Interested seniors should call 631-467-5111 x311 in Suffolk or 516-292-0400 x311 in Nassau and speak with our Housing Counseling Program Coordinator, Diane Patrizio. Ms. Patrizio is a certified HECM Network Counselor.
There are many advantages and safeguards for consumers who choose to use a Network authorized Counselor. Network Member counselors have achieved the highest scores on a national HECM Counselor exam approved by HUD and are authorized by HUD to provide HECM counseling by telephone on a nationwide basis. Network Member Counselors have no vested interest in whether an applicant obtains the mortgage or in the choice of Lender selected. This means there is no conflict of interest to prevent the most objective advice and counseling information from being offered. No fees are charged for the counseling, which is a protective and required prerequisite to entering into a formal loan agreement for this special type of mortgage product. Network Counselors use loan software that meets AARP's model specifications for analyzing and comparing reverse mortgages; this helps to ensure consistency in high quality services offered. Diane Patrizio has specialized in this sensitive, detailed counseling for seniors since 2002. She provides in-person and telephone counseling for Long Islanders when circumstances warrant. Through the National HECM Counseling Network, Ms. Patrizio also provides counseling by telephone nationwide, as resources allow.